Apophenia
by Ziltoid
Summary: Little Naruto grows up, but this time Minato and Kushina did not die. Who saved them? What will it mean for Naruto? See how Naruto grows up in a loving family, aiming to become a bigger badass than his father, and a stronger shinobi than his mother!
1. Nighttime stories

**Apophenia**

 **Nighttime stories**

* * *

" _Any fact becomes important when it's connected to another."_

—Umberto Eco

* * *

Comfortably tucked in his bed, with warm blanket and soft pillow, the blond four year-old looked up to his father with bright blue eyes filled with expectations. "Can you tell me again Tou-chan?"

"What story do you want me to tell this night?"

"… well," the child hesitated. "Can you tell me about that night again?"

"Again?" the man smiled.

"Bububut…"

"Don't worry Naruto-chan. I'll tell you," Namikaze Minato chuckled.

"Kaa-chan doesn't like that story…"

"No, she does," Minato mused. "But I am sure she told you that she is very happy that that night turned out good."

Naruto nodded with fervor. "But she always gets teary. She tries to hide it, but I feel Kaa-chan is sad."

' _Feel? Ah, it was to be expected that the two of them would have a strange bond. After all, this is a unique situation. Never before has a jinchuriki survived the extraction of a Bijuu,'_ Minato looked thoughtfully at his son. "The night you were born, it was very chilly. And…"

"Wasn't the evil masked man cold?"

"…you shouldn't-"

"But he hurt Kaa-chan!"

"Naruto," Minato gently put a hand on his son's head. "Calm down. You know that the masked man lost that night. He cannot hurt you or Kaa-san ever again."

"The mysterious man-" Naruto nodded eagerly. "Can I ever meet the mysterious man?"

"He said that he would return to Konoha in due time," Minato repeated the thing he had often told his son.

"I really want to meet him," Naruto yawned. "He saved Kaa-chan, and even helped Tou-chan to stop the evil man and his monster."

"Who told you about a monster?"

"An older boy at the park said his father died when a monster attacked the village," Naruto blinked. "He said it was the same night as-"

"Don't worry about it, son," Minato bent over and gave his son a kiss on his forehead. "No more masked man, no monsters. You are going to sleep. You don't want to miss tomorrow, do you?"

"No! Kaa-chan is going to take me to the park. And then we're going to eat ramen!"

"You two and your ramen," Minato shook his head, and he ruffled his son's hair before switching off the lights. "Sleep well, tyke."

"Love you, Tou-chan."

"Love you too."

* * *

A woman scraping her throat startled Namikaze Minato when he closed the door to his son's bedroom. Even a man like him, feared across the nations and practically worshipped as a god in Konoha, still froze when his wife made a sound like that. Of all the people he knew, only Namikaze Kushina, before they were wedded Uzumaki Kushina, could frighten Minato in this way. Then again, he had always loved her for her ferocity. But ever since their son was born, he knew that there also moments when he could be on the receiving end. ' _Perhaps she's a bit overprotective?'_

"The masked man? Again?" Kushina tapped her right foot on the floor, a warning signal for Minato that her patience was running thin. "I thought we agreed on not telling Naruto anything more about the night he was born."

Minato cringed, but still had the courage to keep smiling. Seriously, how did his wife do that floaty thing with her hair? After all these years, Minato still hadn't figured that one out.

"He was the one who asked. And you agreed that we had to tell him parts of the story, if only to prepare him," he hushed his wife and nodded to the door. This was not the kind of thing to talk about right outside Naruto's bedroom. So they went back downstairs, and continued their discussion in the living room.

"Why?" Kushina simply asked.

"He just told me that he could 'feel' your sadness, when we talked about the incident."

"Feel?" Kushina blinked. "How do you-"

"You remember _his_ hypothesis?" Minato brought up the words of their savior.

"He talked about some kind of weird connection. But we don't know if-"

"Kushina, in all of history there is not a single example of any jinchuriki surviving the extraction of a Bijuu. Until now, we just assumed that extraction would mean certain death. The seal would be ruptured, and the vast quantity of chakra that would be forced through it would completely destroy your chakra pathways."

"…it still did," Kushina sighed. Being unable to assist her husband as a kunoichi was something she loathed.

"But still, he managed to stop the decay. You know why he made it impossible for you to ever manipulate chakra…"

"I will die if I perform a jutsu," she grimaced.

"But you lived. Our son kept his mother because of what he did. I kept you… I mean what I said back then, I still do. I wouldn't have known what to do without you," pulled her close and comforted her with a hug. "I'd be lost without you."

"I'd rather have lived on like a kunoichi, than as some half-crippled weakling… I hate being a bur-"

Minato halted her by putting a finger on her lips. "Don't you ever say that again! Don't you dare calling yourself a burden. I made my vows the day we married. I will always support you, just as you have always, and will always, support me. Half the world might be shaking in their boots before they even see my kunai, but we both know that none of my accomplishments would ever have occurred if not for you. My life would have been empty without you and Naruto."

"Minato…" Kushina smiled gently, and stepped toward her husband. Only to be stopped once more.

"But, you know the importance of Naruto knowing the truth. It won't be that much longer before we could expect him to show the first signs of being able to manipulate chakra. And when he does, the Kyuubi will become a factor."

"Will the creature honor its promises?"

"He seemed to be convinced of the creature's sincerity, so I am inclined to agree. Still, despite the conditions the Kyuubi made, we have to make sure that Naruto knows what the stakes are. We cannot be there to help him, when he first meets the creature. We can only help him from the outside. And you know better than anyone what he will face."

"I still wonder if his warnings… Are there really going to be more people after the creature? Trying to capture our son to rip the fox out of him?" Kushina sighed. "I know that masked man did the same thing to me, but our son, Minato. Our _son_. I can't bear the thought of… that such a thing would happen to him!"

"I know, honey, I know… And as long as I breathe, I will never allow such a thing to happen to him."

"I know, but… It terrifies me."

"Me too. I wish he was more concrete with regard to his warnings, but so far he has been right: Danzo's secret anbu group, and Orochimaru indeed being a traitor-"

"Thank Kami that Hiruzen was there, that day," Kushina grimaced.

"Yeah… He nearly escaped. If not for Sandaime-sama, I'm sure I would have fallen for his trick," Minato sighed. But after the death of the treacherous Sennin, the Hokage and his predecessor found so much evidence… The results of the horrible experiments they encountered that day still filled the worst nightmares Minato had. But to think he had prepared an arm, and that it served for Danzo to plug in all the sharingan he stole over the years…

"…escaped like that filthy Danzo," Kushina mumbled, showing that she had followed the same train of thought.

"It is exactly why I can't keep Naruto shielded forever. There are things he has to deal with, and I'd rather have him prepared for when the time comes. Who knows what could happen if he reacts the wrong way? This is the Kyuubi; even if it made a promise, I'm still wary to trust the creature."

"It is the embodiment of hatred," Kushina repeated the words the Bijuu had said to her, one of the first times she met the demon when it was sealed within her.

"And that is why he needs all the skills he can get," Minato agreed. "Both physically and mentally."

"Hiruzen agreed, didn't he?"

"He did. When Naruto is ready, he will start helping us to train Naruto. Jiraiya-sensei promised the same thing."

"Even Tsunade-sama did," Kushina smirked. "Though I think we should wait until Hiruzen and the pervert are finished training Naruto before we ask her for her help…"

"I nearly forgot you trained under her, back then."

"It was a really memorable lesson on evasion," Kushina shook her head slowly. "That woman is nuts. Even when she is not drunk."

"All the sannin are," Minato chuckled. "Or 'were', in the case of that snake."

* * *

Toddling in front of her, Naruto seemed to be really happy to go to the park with her. Kushina felt more relaxed now that she had been able to voice her worries to Minato last night. It had been an issue she had been struggling with for a long time, but she had always repressed those feelings so that she wouldn't be a burden to her husband. Minato already was so busy with his duties as Hokage. Danzo fled the village when the net closed around him, but Minato was convinced that he still had plenty of supporters. Smoking them out, however, was no easy task.

' _Fighting on a battlefield is so much easier. Out there, good or bad is decided by a glance at a hitai-ate. But here… there are so many people scheming- especially now that the Uchiha seem to have become more and more discontent with their situation in the village,'_ Kushina sighed. She suddenly noticed that her son was looking at her, head slightly tilted, with a questioning look in his eyes.

"Why are you so worried, Kaa-chan?"

' _He really can feel my emotions, can he? It is a bit annoying that it doesn't work like that the other way around. It would be a lot easier to catch him when he is trying something mischievous,'_ Kushina smiled at her son. "Don't worry about me. I was just thinking about the problems Tou-san has to deal with."

"…would you rather go to Tou-chan?"

"What? As much as I like to see your Tou-san, the two of us are going to the park. It was a promise, right?"

"Yes!" he flew forward and gave her a hug. Well, he hugged her leg, considering that he didn't reach any higher. And he was always strangely cautious with her, never jumping in her arms when she didn't expect it, or such things. As if he understood her weakened physical condition, despite his four years of age.

Once they reached the park, Naruto immediately rushed towards the swings. "Kaa-chan, push!" he shouted, with a wide goofy grin.

"Hold tight," Kushina warned. He really loved this. He liked the slide, the sandbox, and all the other apparatus where the little children could play. But above anything, he liked this swing. No, not just that, he liked it when being pushed by her or Minato, although the latter rarely happened lately, considering how busy he was nowadays.

Enjoying the pleasure that Naruto radiated was also a good way to enjoy the whispers of the other adults around the playgrounds- or the children who were pointing at either her or Naruto. Most of the looks were reverent, as if they felt blessed that the family of the famous Yondaime Hokage was nearby. But others… some of the adults looked at Naruto with a disgust that made Kushina's blood boil.

The attack from the Kyuubi four years ago had caused many victims. As a result, there was much more hatred towards the creature than during her tenure. More people seemed to fear Naruto than Kushina could remember from her own childhood. ' _It makes me shudder at the thought of what would happen to our boy if we had died that night. Minato said that Naruto would be treated as a hero, but I wonder if he truly understands what it means to be a jinchuriki. He is too optimistic. Usually, I love that about him, but in this case…'_

No. Kushina stopped that train of thought and forced herself to focus on the loudly laughing Naruto, who cheered "higher, higher!"

The child truly seemed to have an inexhaustible supply of energy. Kushina had little doubt that the fox itself was an influence in this aspect, as she had felt the same sensation herself for years as well. But not any more… the extraction had made her weak. She was physically brittle, with limited stamina, and little resistance altogether- a mere shell of her former self. Even the famous Tsunade had stood for a riddle when she first examined Kushina. Minato had tracked her down several days after the incident when Naruto was born, but even Tsunade couldn't explain what that mysterious man had done to stop the seal from crumbling even further. Nor had she any idea on how she could heal Kushina. In fact, Tsunade was certain that any messing with the current equilibrium of her chakra pathways would spell unavoidable death for Kushina.

That man had saved her life, but her quality of life had certainly dropped. She needed more sleep than ever before, and grew tired as rapidly as an old woman. Initially, it was infuriating for a short-tempered woman like her, but, just like on so many other occasions, Minato had been able to calm her. He told her that they should rejoice. Even if it meant that she had these limitations, they were still blessed by the chance she got. That strange man had saved her that night. He had given her a new life when all things seemed lost.

She could see her hyperactive little boy grow up, becoming stronger than either Minato or she had ever been.

But those were not the things she cared about after a half hour playing around with Naruto. Right now, she was out of breath and exhausted. So, little Naruto did what he always did when this happened: "Yugao-neechan!"

It didn't take more than two seconds before said anbu appeared. "Would you please not call me by my name, Naruto?" the cat-masked woman sighed.

"But you're not a kitty, you're Yugao-neechan," Naruto shrugged. He didn't see the point of her mask, nor her codename 'Neko', at all. "Kaa-chan is tired, could you help her? She's too heavy for me to drag, and to stubbon to listen, either."

"It is 'stubborn', not 'stubbon'," Kushina corrected her son, even as weary as she was.

"…He does have a point though, Kushina-sama," Yugao shook her head. It was the same chain of events over and over again: Naruto playing with too much enthusiasm, and Kushina getting dragged into it while being too stubborn to take a rest when she needed it. "There's a bench nearby, I'll take you there."

"I'll stay here, 'kay?" Naruto smiled after he hugged his mother. Yugao smiled behind her mask when she saw the little boy trying to cheer his mother up, even though it was completely obvious that he was concerned about her. That too was a regular occurrence. ' _Minato-sama is right, it is impossible to separate mother and son. It's like they're glued to each other.'_

"That kid… worrying about his Kaa-san like that," Kushina mumbled under her breath, as Yugao supported her while walking to a bench.

"He sees your weakened condition, and worries about it, Kushina-sama," Yugao replied. "And he is right. You should not demand too much from yourself."

Kushina glared at her guard, but Yugao knew that it wasn't any serious anger. The anbu might still be young, barely considered a woman at all, even by shinobi standards, but in spite of her fifteen years of age she was deeply loyal to Kushina. As an Uzuki, it was her fate. She was the last of a clan which had sworn loyalty to the Uzumaki clan long before the system of the hidden villages was created by Senju Hashirama. As kenjutsu and taijutsu specialists, the Uzuki clan served as the perfect guards for the fuinjutsu specialists if the Uzumaki. After all, unlike ninjutsu, fuinjutsu took time to set up and apply- time which the Uzuki bought for them.

It was not that those old ties really defined Yugao's loyalty. No, when the servants of Kushina were killed, that fateful night Naruto was born, only young Yugao had been left. Her older sisters had perished along with everyone who had been amongst Kushina's and formerly Mito's entourage. But it had been Kushina and Minato who took the lonely girl in. To them, there was no relation as master and servant, but rather one between sisters.

However, Yugao tried to act like a proper anbu, ever since Minato had personally given her that mask four months ago. So, as much as Kushina hated it, Yugao called her 'Kushina-sama'.

Slightly uncomfortable with the silence that had fallen, Kushina decided to tease the girl. "So, I heard Hayate returned from his mission yesterday?" The mask may have hidden Yugao's blush, but the fact that she nearly tripped gave her away. ' _Hook, line and sinker,'_ Kushina snickered.

* * *

Naruto kept an eye on his mother and surrogate sister. He could clearly feel his mother's annoyance with her own condition, but he knew she would be well if she took some rest. Still, the swing wasn't fun all alone. It just felt so lonely, to sit on this swing without his mother nearby. Other kids playing nearby kept their distance from him, making it even worse to Naruto.

He never had many friends. His mother brought him along at times, when she visited other clans, but most other kids were strange. There was this one time, two weeks after his fourth birthday, when she dragged him along to a tea ceremony and Naruto had to play with three children of clan heads. But one was only busy stuffing himself (Naruto got sick just from looking at the scene), the second was sleeping all the time (lazy-ass deluxe), and the last one… the blonde girl just didn't leave him alone- nagging, nagging, and more nagging.

Sitting on his motionless swing, Naruto looked at the flowerbeds bordering the playgrounds. Yes, flowers had definitely changed that day. Just when Naruto had been fed up with the blonde girl's nagging, she dragged him along to the gardens. After all, it was her house they were in that day. Naruto may not have had much love for her nagging, but when she started talking about those flowers… well, that day had been fun after all.

With that thought in mind, Naruto jumped from the swing, and began exploring the flowerbeds. Perhaps there were some beautiful flowers over there. "I'm sure some nice flower would cheer Kaa-chan up," Naruto mumbled to himself. With Yugao distracted by Kushina's teasing, Naruto simply wandered off unsupervised.

At least, not supervised by friendly eyes.

"Oy, kid!"

Naruto turned away from his flowers, and saw three bigger youths approach him. "Hello," Naruto smiled.

"Ya know what yer Tou-san did?" hollered the biggest one, a boy of about fifteen years old. His long brown hair looked shabby, and his clothes were much like rags. Naruto had drifted off and approached one of the orphanages housed by Konohagakure.

"Tou-chan?" Naruto frowned.

"Yeah… I know who ya are, ya shitty little brat," the tall boy growled. "Yer Tou-san is tha Kage."

"My- Yes, he's the Hokage," Naruto chirped proudly.

"Look at da goofball, in his green whimpy shirt," the boy mocked Naruto. "You must be pretty rich, clan-boy…"

"Rich?"

"Money, ya dobe!" one of the boy's goons exclaimed, pushing the young Namikaze.

"Yeah, gib us ya money, ya fool!" the other chimed in. "Or we are gunna beat ya up, ya hear?"

"But… I have no money," Naruto was now on the verge of tears.

Something which the fifteen year old ringleader capitalized upon, as he gave Naruto the final push, literally and figuratively. He ended up on his bum, with tears silently flowing down. Little Naruto had never been bullied before, and he sure as hell did not like the experience.

"Seriously, what's with da whiskers," the eldest boy scoffed.

"What kinda freak has whiskers?"

The two kids were closing in on Naruto, and the eldest grew 'brave' enough to go one step further. However, the moment he moved his leg backwards, preparing the harsh kick he wanted to deal out, he was hit by a pebble.

"Hey, wadda fuck!"

An entire volley of pebbles followed. One of the two minions was even hit smack on the nose, while the eldest… well, the stone hit him right in the rocks.

"Leave him alone!" a little girl yelled.

"…dat hurt," the chief-bully moaned. "Dat frikkin' hurt!"

Before he could take a step towards her, the girl unleashed another volley. Naruto was amazed by the accuracy at which she threw. None of the pebbles missed, and the three bullies quickly gave up and ran.

"Cowards," the little girl huffed. Now that she moved closer, Naruto could see the blushing girl. She had the oddest hairdo Naruto had ever seen, with her brown hair formed into two buns on top of her head. He face was a bit dirty, dusty as she was from playing outdoors for the entire day. And her clothes… well, they were rather messy. They were patched up on her knees and elbows, but they were still obviously old, as the fabric lost nearly all its color.

"Who are you?" Naruto sniffed.

"Tenten!" the slightly older girl lost some of her initial confidence when she saw the teary-eyed Naruto, as if she was uncomfortable dealing with a child who broke down like that. "And you? Why did those bullies pester you? Are you part of a clan? Are you here all by yourself? Are you an orphan too? Are you-"

Little Naruto put up a hand, trying to get her to stop. It didn't work, though.

"Naruto! Where are you Naruto?" a red-haired woman hobbled towards them. Strangely, she had felt his distress. Not that she really understood how, but she had realized something was wrong with her Naruto. She had never felt anything like this before, though now that she thought about it, she did always have those vague pulses in the back of her head. Was this her link to her son? She never sought for it before, as she had forgotten about the hypothesis of that man, but now that she was looking for it she found all the hints. Was this the connection established as this bond of being the former and current jinchuriki of the Kyuubi? ' _I will have to ask Minato-kun. Perhaps Sandaime-sama or that pervert would know more?'_

"Kaa-chan!" Naruto jumped up and rushed to his mother. Seeing how she got ignored all of a sudden, Tenten felt dejected and wanted to walk away. "No, I'm not feeling ouch. Tenten-chan saved me!"

"Why are you walking away, little girl?" the woman spoke loud enough to make the girl freeze in her steps.

"Awa.. I, eh.." Tenten didn't know what to say, and her perpetual blush expanded until her whole face was red as a beetroot.

"I told you, Kaa-chan: Tenten-chan saved me from those meanies!" Naruto chirped, darting towards Tenten. Before she could say a thing, his tiny hand grabbed hers, and he dragged her towards Kushina.

"Thank you, Tenten-chan," Kushina made a small bow to the child, one which the bun-haired girl returned with a much deeper bow. The submissive look on the girl's face completely contradicted her earlier expression, something which even Naruto noticed.

"Are you sick?" he poked with his index finger against her red cheek.

Bewildered, the five year old girl looked at the blond boy. From his orange shorts, to his green shirt with red swirl logo, she couldn't understand his behavior at all. Furthermore, his whiskers gave him a strangely exotic look, but it was his bright blue eyes which drew her attention. As if she was looking at the summer skies, these eyes radiated a warmth and cheerfulness she never encountered before.

"I'm not sick. I, err.. I have to go home now," she shied away from his touch.

"Hmm, this is a somewhat rough neighborhood," Kushina frowned. "Do you want us to walk you home?"

"No! No, that's not necessary," Tenten immediately tried to talk her out of it. But she didn't know Kushina, at all. If there was one thing Naruto had to say about his mother, it would be that she was stubborn. She made an offer, and he knew she would persist.

"I'm not taking 'no' for an answer, young lady."

Yes, there was the mother he knew. Naruto could see Kushina was still exhausted, but if they walked at a slow pace, she wouldn't have much trouble. "Yeah, we're gonna walk on your home!"

"Naruto-chan… it is 'walk you home', not 'walk on your home'," Kushina corrected her son reflexively.

"Ehh? But what…" Naruto continued to argue, as well as his four year-old mind allowed him at least, but Tenten barely paid attention.

She knew how people reacted. They were nice, until they would figure out that she lived in an orphanage. Children from orphanages were seen as nuisances, a fact which Tenten had quickly understood, in spite of her age. But on the other hand, the warden had been very clear that it would be even ruder to lie. Plus, the fearsome red-haired woman had asked her a question. ' _I have to answer it, I would be rude not to…'_ Tenten sighed. She knew she had no choice but to admit it. "I live in this neighborhood."

Naruto stopped mid-sentence, and look curiously at the girl.

"At the orphanage?" Kushina realized. ' _A that is why she is wearing these rags… Poor child.'_

"Kaa-chan, what is an oropage?"

"An orphanage, Naruto-chan, is a place where children live who don't have parents anymore," Kushina explained.

"Ehhhh? You don't have a Kaa-chan?" Naruto blinked, turning to Tenten. He didn't even know such a thing was possible.

"No.. Warden-sama says Kaa-san died four years ago. I don't even remember her," Tenten said on a woeful tone. "I wish I did."

"And your Tou-san?" Kushina probed as carefully as she could.

"I dunno. They say I'm illgiltelmit child," Tenten shrugged.

"Illgiltelmit?" Naruto frowned, looking up to his mother for explanation. "What's that?"

"Dunno either, but it sounds kinda important, doesn't it? I'm sure it's because I'm super strong!" Tenten boasted.

"It is pronounced as 'illegitimate'," Kushina interrupted.

"But Kaa-chahaaaan," Naruto whined. "What does it mean?"

"Does it really mean that I am going to be as strong as Tsunade-sama?" Tenten asked with starry eyes.

"How do you know Baa-chan?" the little blond blinked.

"Baa-chan?" Tenten looked puzzled at Naruto.

"Tsunade-baachan!"

"Wh-wh-WHAT?" Tenten shrieked, startling both mother and son. "You dare call Tsunade-sama a granny!"

"But she is," Naruto rebuked weakly, half-hiding behind his mother's leg, holding the green fabric of her dress as if it were a shield. "She's a granny, even if she hides it under her gunthingy. Gunjutsu."

"Genjutsu," Kushina sighed, poking Naruto so that he would let go. "But Tenten-chan is right: it is not polite to call someone like that."

"Eh? But she older than you and Tou-chan! And Gama-jisan said she was just as old as he is."

"Don't try to be clever now, kiddo," Kushina warned her son not to keep defending himself. She wasn't tolerating any protests- unlike her husband, who was far too soft with their son. "You need to learn to act appropriately to your standing, and you know how important Tou-san's job is, right?"

"Right…" Naruto sighed.

Wide-eyed, Tenten stared from Kushina to Naruto. "Is your Tou-san an important person?"

"Tou-chan is the strongest shinobi of the village!" Naruto proudly stuck he chest out.

"Pff.. Everyone knows the Yondaime is the strongest," Tenten remarked skeptically. Though, she halted when both Naruto and Kushina nodded in agreement. "…you're not trying to tell me that-"

"Minato is my husband, yes," Kushina couldn't help but laugh when she saw the shocked expression on the five-year-old girl. Her amusement waned, though, when the girl fell to her knees and groveled in front of them. "What are you doing?"

"I'm terribly sorry," Tenten said on a submissive tone. For a second, curiosity had gotten the better of her, and she had forgotten her lowly position. "I apologize for acting so familiarly to someone as high-born as you, milady, Naruto-sama."

"Milady?" Naruto blinked.

"Stop acting so ridiculous," Kushina said firmly. "Get up, stand on your two feet." The girl complied. "And for Kami's sake, stop looking away!" the red-haired woman added with more than a little frustration.

"Yes, milady."

"It's Kushina," the elder Uzumaki grumbled. "Don't call me 'milady', it makes me feel old."

"As you wish, Kushina-sama."

"Arrgh, don't be so frustrating!" Kushina exclaimed. "It's just Kushina. Drop the formalities."

"Why am I a 'sama', Kaa-chan?" Naruto tugged her green skirt, demanding attention.

"Never mind that," Kushina turned around and shouted "Yugao!" once. Within a second, the anbu operative with a cat-face mask jumped down the trees. Yugao had found Naruto before Kushina did, but considering how Tenten interfered, she had deemed it unnecessary to punish the bullies any further. The ringleader was hit especially hard, considering how he was limping and holding a hand in front of his aching crotch. ' _That girl sure has one heck of a throwing arm for a kid her age…'_ the purple-haired anbu thought.

Tenten, however, had no clue whatsoever of where the masked kunoichi had been hiding, nor why she was watching them. To her, the masked shinobi were the elite of the village, something that went wayyy over her head. Now she suddenly stood near one, and near the wife and son of the legendary Yondaime Hokage! The boy's familiar comments about her great hero, the slug sage Senju Tsunade left her a dumbfounded five year-old.

"Kushina-sama, could you please not refer to my real name when I have du-"

"Stop it with the 'sama', you're just as bad as the kid," Kushina shrugged it off. Her exhaustion made her a little snappy. "You're going to tell the orphanage that Tenten-chan won't be home before dinner."

"Kushina-sama?" Yugao cringed when Kushina smacked her for the usage of the suffix. In her defense, it was such a habit to Yugao that it was rather difficult to change, no matter how often Kushina protested, hating those formalities from someone whom she deemed 'close'. Besides, it was something that belonged to her function as anbu. Yugao couldn't act formal and familiar while she wore that mask. Yet, neither Kushina nor Naruto seemed to bother about it.

"Which orphanage do you live in, Tenten-san?" The anbu decided not to question Kushina's decision any further.

"T-the one in the north-western sector?" Tenten completely lost track of what was going on.

"Good," Kushina grabbed her son by the hand, and offered the other one to Tenten. "Don't look at me like that, kid, it's just a hand."

"I… Ehm, what… why?"

"You saved my son from a group of bullies, so the least I can do is to repay you," Kushina smiled widely. "And considering those rags, I think you might enjoy an afternoon in the shopping district. We'll first get something to drink, though." She really wanted to rest for a bit.

"Shopping?" Naruto exclaimed in horror.

"Yes, shopping," Kushina replied sweetly. The underlying threat did not elude Naruto, so he just admitted defeat, dramatically sagging down with his head and tiny shoulders. He could feel that she was determined, so that arguing was useless. However, he could not interpret the strange mixture of emotions he felt through their 'link'.

With her status as the former jinchuriki of the Kyuubi, and his as the current one, it meant that they understood each other way better than deemed 'normal'. It was as if their minds were, to some degree, open to each other. But Naruto was too young to comprehend her mixture of guilt and gratitude. Kushina was thankful that the girl rescued Naruto, but at the same time she felt guilty that Tenten was orphaned because of her- because she had failed to contain the Kyuubi.

She knew all that happened because the Masked Man had struck that day, but still she couldn't escape that feeling of guilt whenever she saw someone who lost someone dear on that night. Even though he extracted the Kyuubi at the moment she was weakened due to giving birth to Naruto, Kushina still thought that she should have taken more precautions. But the contingencies which Minato had put in place had seemed enough. How foolish they had been…

But how could they have known that man would strike? Even the one who had saved them had been too late to prevent the Kyuubi from damaging the village. The one did manage to prevent her from dying, and after Minato saved the village, he also managed to convince the Kyuubi that there was some bigger threat around. The Masked Man, who had claimed to be the infamous Uchiha Madara, had only provided the evidence for that claim. The mysterious man had prevented her husband from killing himself, prevented her from dying, and saved Naruto. Even when Minato had been the one to do all the fighting and all the sealing, that man's presence had tipped the delicate balance in their favor. Due to him, her son did not have to grow up as an orphan like this girl. But it had been close… So terribly close.

Whenever Kushina saw a child like Tenten, she was reminded that it could have been her son who could have had that empty look in his eyes.

"Shopping?" Tenten repeated Naruto's question. Kushina sighed, and just looked at the girl. "I have no money," the tiny brunette admitted with reluctance.

"Tsk, as if I would let a little kid pay when I offer to take her out shopping," Kushina shot down the girl's hesitations. Even if it would be only for a day, she would give this child some hope, and bring that lively sparkle back to her brown eyes. "I'm not taking no for an answer, Tenten-chan, so just take my hand. And Naruto-kun, you stop sulking or we won't dine at Ichiraku's."

"Ramen?" he asked. Tenten took a step back when she saw the fanatical glimmer in the blond's eyes. "Kaa-chan, can we go now?" he tried dragging his mother along, but she was too big and strong for his tiny frame.

"Is it truly all right, Kushina-sama?"

"Only if you drop the 'sama'. Seriously, if you keep saying that, I'll consider it as an insult. You hear me, kid?"

Tenten blushed, and nodded. "As you wish, Kushina-san."

Rolling her eyes, Kushina internally decided to take what she could get and not object to the girl's insistence on politeness any longer. 'But _I wish Naruto-kun had a bit of her manners,'_ she conceded to herself. The irony of her own thoughts escaped her, because it wasn't exactly his father's fault that Naruto had such a disregard for formalities…

* * *

Tucked into his bed once more, Naruto had held a long monologue to his father. "…and then Kaa-chan bought this really pretty red dress. It had a yellow fastening buttons. The woman at the shop told me that the buttons were called that way. And she said the dress color matched really well with her blush. And then she… And then Kaa-chan… And I did…"

Minato smiled as his son rambled on and on. Kushina had warned him that Naruto was rather lively today, having made a little friend and all. But for him to be talking for fifteen minutes non-stop… ' _He really takes after Kushina, doesn't he? Jiraiya-sensei was right when he said that Naruto may look like me, but acts exactly like Kushina. Even his speaking quirk is similar to Kushina…'_ Although he couldn't decide what sounded cuter, 'ttebane or 'ttebayo.

"… and when Kaa-chan gave her that dress, she suddenly started to cry. Do you know why she had to cry? Tou-chan? Kaa-chan said that Ten-chan was crying because she was happy, but why would someone cry because she is happy, Tou-chan? Tou-chan? Are you sleepy, Tou-chan?"

"Oh, sorry Naruto. Yes, it was a tiresome day.."

"Did Sasuke's family bother you again?"

"The Uchiha did file a complaint, yes," Minato admitted. "But you asked me something else?"

"Yes, Ten-chan was crying when Kaa-chan gave her that pretty dress!"

"Sometimes people cry because they are happy, Naruto-kun."

"But why?" Naruto sighed. "I don't get it!"

"Kaa-san cried when she first saw you," Minato recalled. "And do you remember when you gave her those flowers on her last birthday?"

"She cried too," Naruto frowned. "I thought she was illogical to the flowers."

"Illogical?"

"Like when those stupid yellow sneeze-flowers bloom," Naruto explained in the typical impatient way kids react when they think adults are slow on the uptake.

"Oh, you mean allergic!"

"I said that," Naruto huffed.

"Illogical and allergic are two completely different things," Minato laughed at his pouting son. "But crying is just a way to express one's emotions. You can do it when you are really sad, but also when you're _really_ happy."

"She didn't cry when we ate ramen together, though- even when she smiled really, really widely," Naruto frowned.

Minato nearly choked when he saw Naruto's pensive frown. "Not.. Not everyone is as crazy about ramen as you and your mother are, Naruto," he laughed.

"Ehh? How can someone not like ramen? Kaa-chan says that it is the food of gods!"

"But ramen is not everyone's favorite food," Minato chided him with a friendly smile. "You will understand when you are older."

"But I wanna understand now," Naruto pouted, shrugging further underneath his blanket.

"But not today. Now it is bedtime for you, so I'm going to read you one story, and then you are going to sleep."

"Like Kaa-chan?"

"Yes, like Kaa-chan," Minato chuckled. His wife had really exhausted herself, and now she was paying the price. She'd be fast asleep until noon tomorrow, judging by the look in her eyes when he last saw her. "Let's see. The one with the Llama is already finished, so why don't we start with 'Toad Toad Red Coat' today?"

"Is it from Gama-jisan?" Naruto asked with more than a little suspicion. The man always tried to tell Naruto stories, but for some reason they always revolved around toads.

"Who else but Jiraiya-sensei?"

Naruto smirked, knowingly. "'kay, I'll give it a chance."

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

* * *

Another story from me? Yes. But Apophenia isn't just some random drivel. I always felt intrigued by stories where Naruto didn't lose his parents. So, I created a somewhat insane plot where both Minato and Kushina would survive. Naturally, the latter is severely weakened due to having the Kyuubi ripped out of her, but she lived. How did they live, you ask? Who helped them, who 'cured' Kushina, you ask? Who is the 'mystery man'?

Well now, a joke wouldn't be funny if the punch line was told before the actual joke. So, I'm going to leave this as a bit of a mystery at first. I think that at this point only **Ensou** (thank you for your advice!) and my beta **Illuminated** have a clue of where this is going. But when all the random bits of data connect together, it will make sense to the rest of you as well. At least, I hope so. Anyway, for that reason I picked this difficult-sounding name as a title.

But Zil, why the 'M' rating? Well, I intend to make this a story where the shinobi world is seen through the eyes of children. And it's not like all the problems in Konoha are just magically solved by saving Minato and Kushina. That would be boring. So, there will be some darker things happening in future chapters, thus my choice for the M rating, just to be safe.

Now, please read, follow, fav, and most of all: **review**!

* * *

-Ziltoid-

 **Additional notes:**

1) regarding the Japanese language used: Tousan means 'father' and Kaasan means 'mother'. Chan is simply a more personal term, to show your endearment. It suffices to say that it is highly informal, and even a bit childish. Compare Kaachan to 'mommy'. The 'o' prefix is to show more respect. So, Okaasama is wayyy more formal than Kaachan. Ji-san means 'uncle', and Baa-san means 'grandmother'. I'm not master in the language by any stretch of the word, but I'll be using these kinds of basic terms. But if you've watched the anime, or read the manga, you will have encountered most of them anyway.

2) regarding Naruto's name: as Minato and Kushina survive in this AU, Naruto carries the name of Namikaze instead of Uzumaki. Why? The Uzumaki clan was supposedly feared throughout the world (although Kishimoto never really expanded on it), but the clan is practically extinct. Meanwhile, the Namikaze name might be new, but it is tied to a person who was infamous enough to get flee-on-sight order on his name. I'm not sure why this particular choice is upsetting readers, perhaps it is because changes are scary, which makes me wonder why people read fanfic in the first place, but I prefer this logical option. The Yondaime Hokage might not be part of any fancy clan, but I think his name carries more weight, both in and outside Konoha, hence my decision to go for the name 'Namikaze Naruto'. After all, unlike the manga there isn't much of a reason to hide Naruto's heritage now...


	2. Refuge

**Apophenia**

 **Refuge**

* * *

A little girl ran on bare feet through the cold night. Her red shirt was torn, and her face covered in tears, but she couldn't go back. She could not return to the orphanage right now. Not after she hit him, not after she had ran away; who knows what could happen if she did? Surely the warden would be angry with her…

* * *

 _Proudly wearing her brand-new clothes, Tenten was beaming with happiness when she returned to the orphanage._

" _Don't smile like that," a girl two years older than her warned. "And why are you wearing those pretty clothes today? Don't you know Kurosawa-sama is coming tonight?" Fear was obvious in the girl's blue eyes, a fear shared by most of the older girls in the orphanage. However, she, like all the younger ones, never understood why._

 _Mister Kurosawa, a wealthy businessman, was someone who funded the orphanage. Tenten always thought he was funny. He always smiled and made jokes, and often came by so that he could 'treat a girl', as he called it. Tenten never understood why the girls he selected were always so horrified. There was this one time, almost a year ago, when Isuzu, a fourteen year old girl, had been selected multiple times in a row. She was his 'favorite', other girls had whispered._

 _At least she was until her monthly bleeding suddenly stopped. When that happened, two of Kurosawa's guards arrived and took the girl away. Even the warden, a woman usually unmoved by what happened to the children she had to look after, was distressed when that happened. Tenten had never seen Isuzu again. But when Kurosawa returned next time, the girl who had been chosen jumped through the window and ran away._

 _Later on, Tenten had heard that the girl was located. She had been severely injured, due to an accident, the warden had said. Something was wrong, Tenten could see that, but what? The whispers that Kurosawa was actually a monster couldn't be true, he was far too friendly for that._

 _Tenten and the other girls now stood lined up when Kurosawa entered the room. A middle-aged man of average height, Kurosawa unveiled his blinking white teeth when he saw Tenten. "Oh my, such pretty clothes," he smiled at the bun-haired girl._

* * *

In hindsight, Tenten felt sick at how happy that compliment had made her. Then again, she still didn't understand what the man had tried to do. She had walked along with the man, not suspecting his true intentions, but when they were in a room on their own, he had suddenly asked her all kinds of weird questions.

Running through the cold night, Tenten began sobbing again, when she thought back to how the man had suddenly grabbed her by the collar, tearing her precious gift apart. Out of reflex, Tenten had grabbed the marbles Naruto had given her earlier that day when they were shopping, and threw them as hard as she could. One had hit Kurosawa in his eye, and in that moment Tenten had managed to wriggle herself out of his hold. Before he could… well, whatever it was he wanted to do. Tenten had no idea what, but it couldn't be good.

Somehow, she had gotten past his guards. She had ignored the screaming warden, who had made an attempt to grab her. But in her panic, Tenten was faster than she had ever been before. Whatever the man had wanted to do to her, she knew it was bad- so she ran- faster than her short legs had ever carried her before. The warden would just hand her over to Kurosawa again. And after what happened to the runaway several months ago, Tenten had realized that just running away would be insufficient as well. This must have been what happened to the other girls as well.

No, she needed help.

* * *

Namikaze Minato yawned. He had worked for too long In his private study, again. Paperwork was taxing enough during the day, but he was working on a secret jutsu as well, whenever he had time. His hiraishin no jutsu made him the most feared man of the five nations, but if this jutsu would work…

But somewhere along the ride, he had drifted away. His hair was a mess, a pencil spiking out of it with sticky ink in the strands of blond hair. Half asleep, Minato wondered what had woken him up. He went out of his study, and when he walked through the hallway, he heard his wife grumble from their bedroom in a low voice. "Answer the door already, I don' wanna get out yet. You just flash over there, and then get to bed. Yeah, go Flashy-kun…"

"Okay honey," he mumbled back. Though, before he was down the stair, he heard a lot of ruckus.

"Raaaaaamen," it was more a war cry than the sound of a child waking up, but Minato knew it was Naruto's way of waking up. It wasn't like this didn't happen more often. Still, it wasn't half as bad as Kushina herself, back when she was pregnant. The things she would eat… Minato still had nightmares.

"Naruto-chan, get back to your bed this instant!" Kushina raised her voice.

Ignoring the shouting and laughter, Minato walked to the door. "Hmm, I'll never stop surprising myself with how good Kushina's ears are," he yawned yet again. It wasn't a hard knock, but whoever it was, he or she just kept knocking. It was like they had a woodpecker on caffeine attached to the door. "Coming," Minato had to shout to be audible over his noisy wife and child. "Darn, look at the time," he groaned when locking at the clock in the living room. This wasn't an anbu either, as there were other methods to signal him in case of distress.

Opening the door, Minato was surprised to find a crying, shivering little girl. "Who the…" he stopped mid-sentence when he noticed the girl's brown hair being molded into two buns. Well, the one of the right was partly unraveled, revealing long strands of hair. "You must be Tenten-chan?" He recognized her from the descriptions Kushina and Naruto had given.

The girl nodded, yet seemed too scared to talk. "What happened to your shirt, Tenten-chan?" Minato noticed her damaged clothes. When she remained silent, he frowned. "Come inside, you could catch a cold if you keep standing out there without shoes, wearing that torn shirt."

She hesitantly followed him, and he put her in his comfortable chair in the living room. "You wait here, I'll make you a hot cup of choco," Minato smiled. Before proceeding to the kettle, however, he walked towards the stairs. By the sound of it, Naruto was now teasing Kushina by running around. "Kushina, could you come down for a second? We've got a guest. And Naruto, you go to bed right now, or you won't get any ramen for a week."

"A week?" the boy screeched. With a short rush, he was back in bed. He was so easy to manipulate…

Putting a robe over her nightdress, Kushina walked down the stairs. Who on earth would be at their door at this hour? Her husband was busy in the kitchen, and he pointed at his chair. The tiny frame of Tenten was barely noticeable in the large chair, but Kushina saw the shivering child nonetheless.

Before she could walk over, however, Tenten was startled by a blanket. As a true shinobi, she had not made any sound, so the little girl had never seen her coming. And in a household with Minato, Kushina, and the oddly perceptive Naruto, Yugao had never even considered how a normal little girl would respond.

"Calm down, little one," Yugao awkwardly tried to approach the startled girl. "You are shivering, this blanket will warm you up a little."

"You can trust her, Tenten-chan. She is the anbu you met earlier," Kushina spoke up while walking towards the two girls.

"N-Neko-san?" Tenten blinked. The hair matched. The posture matched. But how could someone this young be an anbu? Little Tenten couldn't wrap her head around it.

"Kushina-sama, why do you keep revealing my-"

"Yugao… why are you using honorifics in this household?" Kushina glared at the 'offender'. Covered in a blanket to a degree where only her eyes and hair remained visible, Tenten's curious eyes went from the anbu girl to the woman who treated her so kindly the day before. "So, what brings you here in the middle of the night?"

For a short moment, Tenten had been distracted, but now the memories returned in full force- why she had been on the run. Minato came close, and together with Kushina he guided the little girl back to the chair, and placed a cup of hot choco next to her. But Tenten didn't notice the delicious-smelling beverage. No, falteringly, she told Minato, Kushina, and Yugao about Kurosawa and his peculiar actions, how he called girls to him, how he had called her to him, because she looked so pretty in her new clothes. A cloud of anger radiated from Kushina when she heard this.

Even though Tenten had no clue what the wealthy merchant did to those orphaned girls, the girl knew something was terribly wrong with what he did, what he had attempted to do to her, how he had tried to rip the clothes from her, how he had said that she would have to be 'nice' to him. Tenten didn't know what any of it meant, and Kushina was thankful that Tenten had remained unaware of it.

But the others did know. A year ago, a delegation from Kumogakure had visited Konoha. They had tried to kidnap two children that night, and had nearly succeeded with the Hyuga heiress, but with Naruto… Kushina had rarely witnessed her husband's anger, and even on that night, he had remained relatively level-headed. But now he was enraged, furious at the thought that these sorts of things could happen in the village he led. Even Yugao, who had seen him in action a few times, only now came to fully realize why the calm and gentle Namikaze Minato was so famous, why he was the most feared man in their world. If not for restraining himself for the children's sake, she knew that the amount of chakra he would have radiated would be terrifying.

"I'm going out," he could barely smother the unrefined fury in his voice. "I think Inoichi and Ibiki will be interested in a new guest that I will bring to them."

Before anyone could say a word, Minato vanished in a flash of bright yellow light. Kushina could not feel any pity for the pathetic excuse of a man that Minato would hunt down and hand to the Torture and Interrogation department.

' _I know that orphans are always preyed upon, as they are vulnerable targets who lack the support of family and often have few friends. They are considered the lowest in the social ranks, and their vulnerability attracts these kinds of monsters. No, not just this Kurosawa should have to fear for his life, but that abominable warden as well. How could she sell out those little girls to such a creep?'_ Kushina had difficulty keeping her temper reined in. But for the sake of the quivering little girl in front of her, she had to. Tenten obviously had no idea of the horrible fate she barely escaped from. It would be for the best if she remained oblivious to this. No child should be aware of these kinds of things.

But Tenten had run away from the only place she knew as 'home'. She had run from the woman who had practically raised her, from the other kids whom she had grown up around. She had run to the only other person who had shown such kindness to her, and of whom she knew where she lived. The little brunette, still enveloped by the blanket, launched herself at Kushina, and cried out all her distress.

Even a tomboyish girl like her, who often got into fights with older kids and still won – her aim was really a talent she had been blessed with from birth – was just a little child. She was a child who had to vent her emotions, rather than keeping it all bottled up. Bottling up was something for the twisted adults, Kushina reasoned sadly.

Of course, there was another child who was nearby. Little Naruto did not understand what was going on, and considering the threat his father had thrown at him, a whole ramen-less week, he was wise enough to stay well out of sight. Well, it was not like he could ever hide from Kushina, who seemingly had a sixth (and seventh) sense for immediately locating him, no matter where he hid. But with her being distracted by Tenten, Naruto remained unnoticed. He couldn't hear what Tenten exactly told his parents, and from the fragments he did catch he couldn't make any sense of why his father had been so terribly angry- and his mother… Naruto could directly sense Kushina's anger.

It was a deep, sorrow-filled, well of rage. It was a foreign emotion to little Naruto, who had led a generally peaceful and happy life. There was only that odd night, almost a year ago, he had woken up from feeling his mother's distress. There were hard bangs outside, back then. Kushina had ensured him that nothing had been wrong, but even then Naruto had known she hid something, just like she hid her true rage right now.

But it wasn't so much her rage that surprised him. No, what confused him was that 'something' within him responded. He couldn't define it, could not even remember if he had ever felt something like this before. There was this hot sensation, a strange strength welling from within. Even if it was just a little sensation, it was a miniscule particle of the enormous entity it came from, the entity hidden from little Naruto. It was to be hidden until the time was right and the child could meet the monster.

But Naruto reacted to Kushina's rage, and this insignificant little gap opened, allowing tiny drops of chakra to enter his tiny frame. Regardless of the monster's will, Naruto drew it to him.

As insignificant as it may be, it amplified Naruto's senses tenfold: his smell, his hearing, his… what was it even that he sensed? Something was outside. It felt murky and dark, like something as dirty as his shoe when he once stepped in that dog poo from that huge hound of the scary Inuzuka woman who had visited his mother. What was the boy named, who had come with her? Naruto couldn't remember. This sensation was completely different, but at the same time oddly similar to that dirty shoe. It was something which he didn't want to go near, something which repulsed him. Yet at the same time, it attracted him. For some strange reason, he always wanted to see what his mother told him not to approach.

Had he been a little older, or simply a little bit less impulsive, Naruto would not have sneaked towards the origin of that odd sensation. But he did.

* * *

Ushitora and Sazanka. They were chunin of Konohagakure, bland enough not to draw any attention from their superiors, yet having enough strength to catch the eye of a shady man who needed cheap hired muscle for protection. Muscle was what these two were, whenever they wouldn't have to go out on mission, they served as guards to the merchant Kurosawa. Although the two had failed their training, they still were capable in their own right. Considering how they failed, they had not been dragged down along with their former master.

Tonight's job, however, got them into a predicament. The girl they were supposed to catch had fled to the home of the Yondaime Hokage, of all people.

"How did the little bitch even get in there?" Ushitora whispered. Both men were of average height, both had black hair, the same pale skin, and the same black eyes. Some people even believed they were related, but as far as either Ushitora or Sazanka knew, they weren't. Nor did they think that they were similar. No, Ushitora knew very well that he was the smart one, while Sazanka was the one who had more skill, especially in the area of physical strength. But, thanks to an old injury he took to the knee, Sazanka wasn't as mobile as he once was. He grew a passionate hatred towards archers due to that.

"You said the Hokage has gone now, right?" Sazanka asked.

"Yeah, the bastard suddenly vanished. You know how hard it is to probe for other chakra signatures while hiding my own?"

"Who cares," Sazanka scoffed. "His wife, that red-headed witch, isn't a shinobi anymore. So that leaves only that guard. Can we take that guard down by ourselves?"

"Oi, you're not suggesting that we-"

"Boss wants the little bitch gone, and if we snatch the wife and son of that blond asshole away, I'm sure other villages would pay us handsomely."

"That would be something Danzo-sama would approve of, but how on earth do you think we could pull this off on our own?" Ushitora shook his head. "That little brat might incriminate Kurosawa, but considering how the Yondaime already left the place… The dude is already a goner. It sucks, but I don't think we're getting our money for this month."

"That's why I told ya: we should snatch the kid and woman, and make a run for it."

"He's the fastest shinobi in the world. How are we supposed to outrun him, you retard," Ushitora sighed. He wondered if Sazanka ever thought things through. Even when they were just recruits for Danzo's operations, it had been Ushitora who did the planning and strategizing.

Needless to say, Ushitora didn't want to do this. He was in favor of cutting their losses and get out of there. Sazanka's blood thirst would only get them killed. But before he could leave their garden hiding spot, just outside the mansion where the Namikaze family lived, fate decreed that his plans were invalid. A window opened, and a little blond boy jumped through. To make things worse, the boy's bright blue eyes were staring directly at Sazanka.

"Fuck…" Ushitora muttered, with his jaw scraping the mulch.

"Awesome!" Sazanko exclaimed in a whisper.

Meanwhile, Naruto just stood there without a clue of what was going on. He just wanted to satisfy his curiosity about who or what radiated that dark feeling. The last thing he expected was to see a man with a drawn kunai jump towards him. Stumbling back, the little boy tried to escape. Escaping, however, was impossible. He was too slow, too weak, too tiny… and they were chunin.

"Sazanko! Wait, don't do anything-" Ushitora tried to warn his comrade-in-arms, but it wasn't just Naruto who was powerless against his opponent.

Naruto cried out when he saw a fountain of blood erupt from the not-kunai-wielding man's neck. Before Ushitora even fell to the ground, another flash happened. Sazanko looked down, and saw that the hand which held the kunai was suddenly missing.

Namikaze Minato dropped it to the ground. The fingers were still clenching the kunai, but the dismembered appendage served no purpose anymore. A father would never allow anyone to point a blade, no matter size or shape, at his son.

"I see my seals failed to respond as they were supposed to," Minato glared at the trembling man. "I wonder what kind of jutsu you used to mask your chakra signal. It certainly managed to bypass my securities… Until you were foolish enough to channel your chakra, that is."

"T-tou-chan?"

"Naruto, go inside. Tell Kaa-san that I have the situation under control. But Tou-san needs to have a talk with this man first, okay?"

Pale as a ghost, Naruto didn't even bother to stammer a reply. He was shocked, Minato saw that clearly on his son's face, but it was inevitable that he would see such a thing. This was the boy's first encounter with death, and as much as Minato wanted to shield his son from all this, he knew Naruto needed to see this. It was for his own protection, considering how the boy had the bad habit of wandering off, and exploring areas that he shouldn't even enter.

Unlike Kushina, Minato did not have that sixth sense for finding the kid. Sure, he had a tag placed on his son's back, so that he could always use his Hiraishin no Jutsu to instantly travel to the boy, but still… Naruto needed to realize how dangerous their world really was. Child or not, he was the son of the Yondaime Hokage and the jinchuriki of the Kyuubi no Yoko. Having enemies, regardless of his age of strength, was inevitable for Naruto.

Today's encounter was proof of this. Minato suspected however that these fools were not after his son. They were too low-class for such an assignment. No, these men would be the guards a merchant like Kurosawa would hire, the ones of whom Tenten spoke of earlier.

' _If not for the seal arrays warning me, I could have been too late. In fact, I instinctively used the tag on Naruto, rather than the one on Kushina. Had I been late…'_ Minato's mood darkened. His son had staggered back indoors, so now the man could calmly turn towards this treacherous chunin.

The sheer rage which the usually so good-natured Namikaze radiated was enough to make the one-handed Sazanko soil himself. Especially because the man knew that there were multiple things he simply could not talk about. As low-level as they were, they still had received the restrictive seals which Danzo had put on his servants before he forced their departure nearly five years ago.

Explaining how they masked their chakra, for instance, would already mean a large chance at the seal being triggered. Sazanko had seen people dying from that retched thing he too had on the back of his tongue. Before he would finally die, the seal would make sure that absolutely nothing could be discovered from his corpse-to the point of rapid cellular disintegration through the injection of a dose of highly corrosive, yet nigh untraceable poison.

Orochimaru had indeed been a fearsome scientist…

With those options, Sazanko chose the least horrifying path. With his good hand, he grabbed another kunai, and…

He fell to the ground crying out in pain, as his other hand was cut off cleanly just as his right one had been earlier. Tears welled up when Sazanko realized that the way of death would now be a slow one. Being interrogated and tortured until he finally gave in, at which the seal would trigger and claim his life. ' _Fuck…Ushitora was right. Dammit, I should've listened to him. And that bastard even got a clean quick death!'_

* * *

Yugao had felt the disturbance, and rushed towards the door. Before she even got there, she noticed that Minato had already dealt with the threat. Still, she was at the perfect place to catch a barely-conscious Naruto who stumbled through the door opening.

"Naruto!" the girl put her arms around the boy, and easily lifted him up. She quickly brought him to the living room, assuring his mother that the boy was fine, even though he seemed exhausted for some reason Yugao couldn't fathom. She suspected it was simply the shock.

Kushina, on the other hand, went pale when she touched his head. "Not now… It is far too soon…"

"Kushina-sam-… Kushina-san?"

"It's nothing. Can you put Naruto into his bed, please? He'll be fine with some rest. I will prepare the bed in the guest room for Tenten-chan."

"How is she?"

"Shocked, but who can blame her? After what happened to her. After what nearly happened.. It sickens me that these people exist. And yet she fell asleep before she even drank a drop of her hot chocolate…"

"There will always be those who prey on the weak, and orphans are weak. After all, there is barely anyone who cares about orphans. Unless they carry some kind of kekkei genkai, of course," the girl sighed.

"Filth… I hope Minato-kun kills that guy slowly," Kushina gnashed her teeth. "Ah well, nothing I can do about it now. I'll go upstairs and prepare the bed. No way I'm letting Tenten-chan go back to that orphanage now."

"You can't just take her in like that, Kushin-"

"Let them try to stop me," Kushina snapped. "This little girl has gone through enough."

' _She still blames herself for that night,'_ Yugao realized. "I don't think it is legally-"

"Enough about that. The kids need to go to bed now, and so do we. I'm drained, I don't wanna think about such legal crap right now."

' _She sunk her fangs into this.. I pity Minato-sama if he attempts to talk her out of this.'_

* * *

It was early in the morning when Namikaze Minato finally came back home. As careful as he was, Kushina still woke up when he slid into bed. "…hmmz how late it is, darling?" she asked sleepily.

"A little past seven."

"Did you catch him?"

He didn't need to ask her whom she meant by 'him'. "I found Kurosawa. Fugaku wasn't too pleased when he found out I was doing his job for him, but that's something that will be dealt with later today."

"The Uchiha and their pride…"

"Kushina, they face discrimination and mistrust all of the time, so I understand why Fugaku is so stuck up about the rights of his clan, as well as their duties and responsibilities. Still, I think I made a mistake by handing Kurosawa to T&I."

"Was Ibiki too rough?"

"No, Ibiki was taking some time off. Inoichi had duty tonight… You know how protective he is of Ino-chan," Minato sighed. "He saw what Kurosawa had done, and… Well, the complete insanity that struck him after that was a result of Inoichi destroying his mind. I must admit that it was a bit unnerving to see, but the bastard deserved no less. In fact, his wife knew about his perversions as well. I already signed the orders to confiscate all his possessions, and she is thrown into jail as well. I think it would be proper for all that money to be used to fund the orphanage. As for the traitors who tried to attack Naruto… well, the one that I captured met an equally bad fate."

"What happened?" Kushina rarely saw her husband being outright disgusted by something, but his expression right now…

"Some kind of seal was triggered during interrogation. We have yet to determine what kind of seal, or what poison it released-"

"I can help," Kushina interjected.

"Trust me, you do not want to see what is left of that man," Minato shook his head. "Anyway, I got Fugaku to arrest that orphanage's warden, and make sure the children are all alright. We'll figure out what to do with them later today."

Even though he slumped down, and seemed more than eager to get to sleep, Kushina had one more thing she needed to get of her chest. "He used its chakra, Minato."

"Wha?"

"Naruto. He used the Kyuubi's chakra."

"Are you sure?" Minato was suddenly wide awake again.

"I felt it. It was such a small amount it would barely be noticeable for anyone but me, but still.. This is far earlier than we thought. Far sooner than he said. Should we try to contact _him_?"

"He said he would return on Naruto's sixth birthday. But you know the risks he is taking… I will try to send him a message through Jiraiya-sensei. Let's hope that he can come sooner."

"It worries me, Minato," Kushina cuddled up against him. "Why now? Why so soon? Did the creature lie when it agreed with his offer?"

"Kushina, what did you feel when you heard Tenten tell her story?"

"I was… I was angrier than I've been in a very long time," Kushina admitted.

"Naruto said he can feel your emotions. There is some sort of link between the two of you, as former and current jinchuriki of the same Bijuu. Considering how you always manage to find him, no matter where he hides, it's only even more proof of this. I think Naruto reacted to your anger. The Kyuubi reacted. Remember how you used to subconsciously draw out its chakra when you were angry, while you were still its jinchuriki?"

Kushina paled. "Is it… It is my fault."

"Can you be blamed for feeling emotions?" Minato retorted. "Would you prefer to walk the path Danzo talked about?"

"Of course not!"

"Then it is crucial that Naruto will come to terms with his emotions. I know you want him to grow up like an ordinary boy, but you know as well as I do that he isn't normal. He is a jinchuriki. If we ignore that fact, we would only put him in danger."

"I… I understand," Kushina was reluctant, but understood her husband's point.

"It is all we can do right now. I am not going to alter Naruto's seal. It would be a breach to the deal we struck with the creature. If we went down that path, we can be sure that the Kyuubi would never cooperate with Naruto."

"He'd better not linger for too long…"

* * *

Little Naruto felt a bit sore when he woke up. He had the weirdest dream ever. Tenten had been in it as well. And two strange men. He remembered how much blood had come out of one of the two, when his father had struck the man in his neck. It had been a savage dream. No, Naruto rather had his nightmares about that weird yellow-skinned man with his huge feet. The tall man sometimes appeared in his dreams, chasing little Naruto with a long carving knife. But at least the curly palm-tree-shaped red hair was funny. However, last night's dream was worse, much worse than the ominous-laughter-dreams he had at times. Sure, the darkness and giant glowing eyes creeped him out, but at least it wasn't as vibrant and realistic as last night's dream.

"Kaa-chan! Kaaaaa-chan," Naruto hopped down the stairs. "I had a really weird dream!"

"Naruto-san?"

EH? That wasn't his mother's voice. Nor was it Yugao's. Peeking into the kitchen, two large brown eyes stared back at him. The perpetual blush that adorned the face, and the trademark hairstyle…

"It wasn't a dream?" Naruto exclaimed.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

* * *

Well that went dark fast… But I warned ya last time: M rating. But, I couldn't just throw Tenten into the Namikaze household without proper reasons, could I? Don't be afraid though, Tenten got out lucky. I'm not planning to make this story _that_ gruesome. Several of you asked me about pairings. Ino, Tenten, Hinata, Fu, who should I pick? I've put up the question, and you guys gave me enough answers to come to a choice. So: you'll figure it out eventually, I'm not going to spoil the ending just yet. But if you have any suggestions, please leave a review, because I'm always open for new ideas.

And as always a big thank you for **Illuminated** , for beta-ing and correcting my English!

* * *

-Z-


	3. Rabbit princess

**Apophenia**

 **Rabbit princess**

* * *

"And then Tenten and I went to the playground, where we played the whole day!" Naruto was one pent-up busy body filled to the brim with enthusiasm. "We made a huuuuge sand castle, it was really this gigantonormous," the little blond rascal made exaggerated moves with his arms, trying to explain to his father how vast the sand castle had been.

Probably it only came up to Minato's knee, but still: Minato enjoyed listening to the innocent stories of the little boy.

"It wasn't that big," Tenten protested. "It was only like this," yet she joined Naruto in making those arm movements, trying to clarify how big the castle had been. From the looks of things, Tenten had tried to tell Minato that it had been about one inch shorter than Naruto had told.

"Why don't you two stay underneath your blankets, rather than jiggling around?"

"But I don' wanna sleep yet," Naruto whined. "Tell us a story, please Tou-san? Pweeeaaasse?" Tenten nodded in agreement.

Half of Iwagakure's population would suffer a stroke at the sight of their nemesis standing powerless against the puppy-eyes-combination-attack which Naruto and Tenten executed. Then again, these two had gone through enough this last week. In fact, Kushina and Yugao had dragged the bed of the guestroom to Naruto's room, as both kids had been haunted by nightmares. Naruto had spent the entire morning thinking that he was still covered in blood, even though Kushina had washed him more than thoroughly, as she had been equally horrified. Kushina might have been a formidable kunoichi, but the sight of blood on her little boy made her stomach spin out of control.

Meanwhile, Tenten had suffered a nightmare, thinking that there were still people after her. Considering how they were still little children, Kushina had thought that it would be worth trying having them share a room for now. Perhaps they could help each other grow over their fears.

"I think Tenten-chan isn't familiar with the story of the rabbit princess?"

"Rabbit?" Tenten frowned.

"Yeah, it is one of the stories Kaa-chan knows from when _she_ was little," Naruto cheered, as if it was completely weird that his parents ever have been as young and small as he was.

"You see, Kushina hails from another village," Minato smiled at the tiny brunette. "And when she was young, she was told the story of the rabbit princess, which was a children's story in Uzushiogakure."

"How could a rabbit be a princess?" Tenten was slightly skeptical about the name of the story.

"It certainly beat the 'toad prince and the slug princess'," Naruto sighed. "Gama-jisan is weird." Tenten was confused, but decided to let it slide. If she reacted to every strange thing Naruto said, she would quickly grow into the straight man of this comedy.

"Once upon a time, there were many kingdoms," Minato started. "Each kingdom was ruled by a king and a queen, and each of them sought to expand their kingdom. So every kingdom moved out, amassing armies, and they fought battle after battle."

"This isn't a happy story, is it?" Tenten frowned.

"Oh, but I haven't finished it, have it?" Minato laughed.

"Don't stop, please!"

"I won't, Naruto, I won't. So… where was I?"

"The rabbit kingdom!"

"Rabbit kingdom?" Tenten thought this story became weirder and weirder.

"Yes. You see, amidst all the warring kingdoms, there was one which had stayed out of the war. It was called the kingdom of rabbits. This was actually a joke, because the people who lived there had hair as white as a snow rabbit in winter. Because of a joke an old king had made, the rabbit kingdom had taken the animal as a symbol. It was said that they even rode to battle atop of large hares."

"Hares? But why were they called the rabbit-"

"Sssshhhh," Naruto hushed her. "Don't stop Tou-chan all of the time. And they were called rabbit because of their ears too!"

"Naruto, stay nice to Tenten-chan, okay?"

"'kay."

"The rabbit kingdom, however, did not join the other nations in their wars. While the other nations waged war after war, the king of the rabbits preferred peace. But even though the people of the rabbit kingdom grew far older than any other, the king was old. So his son, the prince of the rabbits, became the new king. Unlike his father, the new king thought that it was wrong to stay out of the wars. Do you know why?" Minato asked.

Naruto nodded, but Tenten looked questioning. "To conquer all the other nations?" she guessed.

"Oh no, he didn't want that at all," Minato shook his head. "The new king wanted to bring peace."

"Peace? He went to war for peace?" Tenten asked incredulously.

"Yes. He had grown tired of all the nations waging war, and he wanted to create a world of peace for his only daughter," Minato continued. "When the king was just a prince, he had tried to negotiate, to talk with all the nations so that they would stop fighting. But, because he was a rabbit, they all laughed at him. Because the rabbits were peaceful, everyone thought they were weak. The only thing that kept them out of the wars was because their land was isolated from the others. Since the rabbit king had sworn to let his daughter live in a world of peace, he started a war to end all wars. For the first time in centuries, the military power of the land of rabbits set foot outside their borders. And soon, one after the other, the warring nations fell. So powerful was the army of the rabbits, that all wars ended."

"So there is a happy end?" Tenten smiled. "The rabbits brought peace, and the princess lived happily ever after?"

"No… I'm afraid this is not the end of the story, Tenten-chan," Minato sighed. "The rabbit king had waged war for so long, that he and his army wanted to quell every chance that there would be another war. In their greed, they stated that the entire world should be under the command of the rabbits."

"Ehh? But… The rabbit king wanted peace. Not power!"

"He did. But Tenten-chan, when people fight, they often do not know when to quit. The rabbit king didn't know either. The rabbit princess was so happy her father had achieved peace, that she prepared a great feast. But her father did not come home, as she had thought. He marched on. But the wars had ended, and all the remaining nations had formed an alliance. Not because they wished peace, or because they forgave each other, but because they were afraid- afraid of the rabbit king and his army."

"Poor rabbit king," Naruto sighed.

"Now now, don't spoil the story for Tenten-chan," Minato wagged his finger.

"What happened next?"

"The rabbit princess waited for days, for weeks, until the moon was full once again," Minato continued. "And when she finally saw an army approaching, she opened the gates and ordered everyone to start the celebration. Except… What returned was not the army of the rabbit king. The alliance of nations had proven to be stronger, and the rabbit king had lost."

"Aww… what a sad ending," Tenten seemed rather dejected by the conclusion.

"I didn't say the story was ended, did I?" Minato smiled. "The rabbit princess fled from her castle, but she had lost her father, her home, and her entire people. Due to her father's greed, she had lost everything. Instead of giving her a world of peace, her father had made things far worse. But the rabbit princess knew of a secret, one which only the royal line of the rabbit knew. When she fled, she ran to an island. On this island, she stole a treasure."

"That's mean," Tenten huffed.

"It sure is. But the rabbit princess was desperate. You see, when the alliance had defeated the rabbit, they had started to fight among themselves again. And while the princess fled, she saw the suffering of the common people. She had lost her home and family, but she saw that many more had suffered that same fate."

"So… the rabbit princess was an orphan? Like me?"

"She was," Minato nodded. "But where her father had failed, she had promised to succeed. Even if it meant that she had to commit a crime, the rabbit princess swore to end all wars. And with the treasure she stole, she became the most powerful person in the entire world."

"Wow! And she became the rabbit queen?"

"With her fellow rabbits scattered, she no longer had a nation to rule. And because her father failed after being crowned king, she vowed to remain humble. Even while everyone loved her, and called her the rabbit princess, she refused to wear a crown. In the end, the rabbit princess fulfilled the same promise as her father, by giving her two sons a world in which all wars had ceased to be. And legend has it that the Rikudo Sennin, the sage of the six paths, used the very same treasure that the rabbit princess stole to create us."

"Us?"

"All the shinobi. Without the Rikudo Sennin, we would never have existed. He was the one who taught our ancestors how to use chakra."

"I wish I were a rabbit princess," Tenten touched her bun-shaped hair.

"Rabbit have pointier ears," Naruto chuckled cheekily.

"Perhaps we should ask Kaa-san if she could braid Tenten-chan's hair into the shape of rabbit ears?" Minato teased.

"That would… It would look silly," the girl, while always blushing, grew a few shades redder.

"You would rather stay a human than become a rabbit?" Minato pulled up her blanket and tugged her in. "You are a very wise young girl, Tenten-chan. I am sure you will one day become a woman as noble as the rabbit princess herself."

"Too bad there weren't any rabbit princes," Naruto pouted.

"There are always the toads," Minato laughed when he saw Naruto pale. "You are already a prince, my son. A prince of Konohagakure. So sleep tight, and dream of rabbits."

"Rather rabbits than toads."

"Toads are very friendly too. You met Gamabunta, didn't you?"

"He was scary… Gama-jiji was funnier! He was all tiny and wrinkly, with a little funny beard."

Minato kissed his son goodnight, and walked out of the room. "Tou-chan? Could you… Ehm. Could you please leave the door open, only a little bit. I don't… If the scary men come, I could-"

"Naruto-chan, no scary man will ever enter this room. Besides, Tenten-chan is here as well, so you are perfectly safe."

"…'kay. Thanks, Tou-chan."

"Sleep tight you two."

Tenten stared at the place where the blond man had just stood. ' _Good night, Tou-san,'_ she said to herself. Though, she did not dare saying it aloud.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

* * *

A short chapter, but… I enjoyed writing this chapter very much. During the first chapter I asked myself: what kind of story would a shinobi tell his or her children? Since stories usually have some kind of lesson for children, in terms of morality, proper behavior, or as a warning. Like 'Little Red Riding Hood' was meant to warn children for strangers, for instance. I wanted my 'story' to be like that for the next generation of shinobi, to contain a message. So while avoiding the darker details, it did address points of how a shinobi should wage war, and the importance of proper judgment. Or a warning that enemies, no matter how divided, will flock together in order to defeat a stronger opponent. And that deception can be used to overcome even the most hopeless situations.

I had no clue how to achieve this, though. Until I tried to imagine how the story of Kaguya would be handed down through history. Oh, and the rabbit princess would never have been able to bring peace without the work of my beta **Illuminated** ; thank you for beta-ing! And thank you to all the people who voiced their opinion regarding the matter of pairings. I'd always like to know what went well or what needs to be done better, so please review.

* * *

-Z-


	4. Baa-chan

**Apophenia**

 **Baa-chan**

* * *

' _Why is this child so overly serious? He's far too quiet, and his insight is a bit scary. Prodigy or not, this isn't exactly what you'd expect of a ten year-old,_ ' Minato mused as he gazed at the boy in front of his desk. It was just another day at the office, with another mountain of paperwork, another horde of whining civilians, another pack of whining diplomats, and another crowd of whining shinobi.

At times like these, Minato thought his job was boring, and almost longed for the simplicity of being a mere jonin. Sure, missions could be a pain, and would mean that he'd have less time to spend with his wife, son, and little Tenten whom they had more or less adopted, but all this whining… Minato got quite sick of all the small-minded people pursuing their small-minded goals.

Sighing, Minato resigned himself to his fate. He had asked Kakashi to send him one of his new and promising recruits, so he couldn't slack off by daydreaming. Hatake Kakashi was the last of Minato's students, and currently one of the strongest subordinates Minato had. Well, Sarutobi Hiruzen would probably still win if he'd had to fight Kakashi, and Maito Gai was a force to be reckoned with as well, likely at par in power. But the latter was rather eccentric, to put it nicely, while Hiruzen had retired as an active shinobi and now served as an elder in the council. But the boy in front of him was the boy whom Kakashi, as the head of the anbu, had selected for this specific task.

"I saw your file. So you're Fugaku's eldest?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama," Uchiha Itachi bowed.

"You're quite young to be a new recruit for the anbu division," Minato frowned.

"I recently passed the Chunin Exams."

"I saw your performance. You made quite the impression."

"Thank you, Hokage-sama," Itachi bowed once more.

"Are you aware why Kakashi sent you to my office?"

"Kakashi-taicho hasn't told me, but I presume that you have a mission for me, Hokage-sama" Itachi remained perfectly calm and formal.

"Yes, but first I wanted to see if I can trust you," Minato decided to put his cards on the table. "My son is growing up, and he has been targeted a few times now- because he is my son, and because he is the jinchuriki of the Kyuubi no Yoko."

"You want me to guard him," Itachi deduced. If he was surprised he did not show it.

"Your clan is currently in upheaval. A large part of the village suspected that the Uchiha were responsible for the incident on the night of Naruto's birth, which led to quite a bit of discrimination against your clan. On top of that, there is the fact that your clan acts as the police force, which isn't exactly a position that makes them popular with a large part of the population. After all, those who enforce the law are rarely loved."

"You are wondering if my loyalties lie with Konoha or the Uchiha clan," Itachi understood.

"Kakashi wrote that you are rather distant, observing everyone around while rarely involving yourself when the mission doesn't require it. I know it has only been training so far, but are you trying to avoid being close to your colleagues on purpose?"

"No, Hokage-sama. While many members of my clan are narrow-minded, I have no intention of causing war," Itachi looked at Minato. "If the Uchiha were to revolt, it would cause a civil war. And a civil war and the subsequent weakness of our village would attract enemies. Iwagakure still hasn't forgiven you, Hokage-sama, and Kumogakure always tries to hoard more power."

Impressed, Minato looked at the young anbu, wondering how a boy his age could have such a firm grasp of the situation. While he had not said it, pointing at Itachi's behavior had made the implicit question of Minato clear to the boy: are you acting on behalf of your clan, are your interests deviating from Konoha? "While Kirigakure is too busy with its fighting internal battles, and Sunagakure lacks the power to confront us," Minato added.

"Right now, yes, but if Iwa and Kumo were to attack, Suna would surely follow."

"For a ten year old, you seem to think a lot," Minato remarked. "Genius or not, this was not the kind of behavior I was expecting from you. Can you tell me, how did you become like this? Why do you think about politics, whereas most other boys of your age are preoccupied with, for instance, ballgames?"

"I… I saw things."

"Oh?"

Itachi sighed. He didn't like 'fessing up like this, but in front of his superior he had no choice. Besides, he was more or less under orders from his father to gain this man's trust, to represent the clan, and do whatever it took to improve the position of the Uchiha within Konoha… and more of that foolishness. "A few years ago, I stumbled upon the remnants of a battlefield."

"I see… I can imagine that it was a sight which you didn't soon forget. I suppose that was when you awoke your sharingan?" Surprised, Itachi looked up to the blond. "What? You didn't expect that I would extensively research a person to whom I would entrust my son's safety? And knowing Fugaku, he ordered you to share all the intel you can get with him. For the sake of the clan, of course," Minato chuckled when he saw Itachi's response. "Bullseye. So I ask you again, where do your allegiances lie?"

"Hokage-sama… I am Itachi of the Uchiha clan. I cannot change that fact. Nor can I change the fact that I am a shinobi of Konoha, and an anbu who has sworn loyalty to you, Hokage-sama. I hope I never have to make a choice between my family and my duty, but I will do whatever I can to avoid creating another battlefield. If need be, I would rather be Itachi of Konohagakure."

"Good, that will have to do for now. You can report to my house. Kushina and Yugao will be there, and show you around. A word of caution, though: my son is quite the handful," Minato smiled fondly. "The way he manages to sneak around, and how he can remain undetected when he wants to, is a bit scary when you consider his age. But with your sharingan, you should be able to keep track of him. If you do lose track of him, though, you would best ask Kushina… My wife always knows where to find Naruto-chan."

"As you command, Hokage-sama."

"Oh, and Itachi?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama?"

"If you want to survive near Kushina, you'd best not persist with that formal behavior. She hates it."

Itachi nodded, although he found the remark rather strange. Within the Uchiha clan there was a strong emphasis on the proper showing of respect. Rank, experience, heritage, skill- those things were deemed vital. The Uchiha clan was the embodiment of the militaristic society of Konoha. Adjusting to his new work environment would probably take some time…

* * *

"Kushina-san, why is there so much noise in that street?" Tenten looked up. She held the red-haired woman's hand, just like Naruto held his mother's right hand. Kushina had plenty experience with slippery and lightning-quick kids to know how to hold them on a close leash, especially in such a crowded area. But she had to get the groceries, and the children had insisted on helping her.

"It's the drinky district, isn't it?" Naruto frowned. Minato and Kushina had urged him to stay away from that street, although Jiraiya had occasionally tried to take him there when he was in Konoha for 'babysitting'. Kushina had been quite furious at that, though it had been Tsunade who had gotten to the man first. After all, with his birthday approaching, the whole 'family' had been together. So logically, little Naruto associated this street with only one person: "Has Gama-jisan come back again?"

As if on a cue, one of the casinos had its front blown apart.

"Ohhh, I know!" Naruto laughed. "Baa-chan! It's Baa-chan! Only Baa-chan destroys stuff like that."

Kushina looked at the nearby Yugao with a deadpan expression. "Make sure she calms down. She's probably on another drunken rampage… Shizune should be nearby as well, she'll be able to help you calming Tsunade down. Take them to Ichiraku's, I'll take the kids and wait there."

"As you wish, Kushina-sama."

"Yugao, I told you to stop it with the…"

"I know, Kushina- _sama._ " Kushina could swear that Yugao was giggling behind her cat-shaped mask.

Before Kushina could react to Yugao's cheekiness, Naruto took charge and dragged her and Tenten to his second most-favorite place in Konoha. With a near-deafening roar. "Raaaammmeeeennnnn!"

And Kushina wondered why Teuchi often managed to finish preparing Naruto's bowl before he even arrived…

* * *

Her eyes seemed more like shiny stars, and unnerved Tsunade by no small amount. Then again, the large amount of alcohol flowing through her system made it hard to process everything. Though, she enjoyed the feeling too much to force herself to sober up. "Kushina, who's this starry-eyed brat? She keeps staring at me… She's almost as bad as Jiraiya when I say I'm going to the onsen."

"This is Tenten-chan. Tenten-chan, this is Senju Tsunade. Though I guess you already realized that," Kushina smiled.

The tiny brunette nodded vigorously, but apparently lost her voice.

"I thought you already had your hands full with the little gaki, and now you have taken in a second?" Tsunade massaged her head, feeling a bit of a headache coming up at the thought that there would be a second Naruto. Meanwhile, Shizune was still looking at her with the 'serves you right' expression of hers, undoubtedly thinking that the headache was caused by the sake. ' _Damned kids…_ ' Well, Shizune was twenty years old, but still Tsunade couldn't stop viewing her as a kid.

Of course, Shizune practically had the same thought about Tsunade, something which Tsunade's behavior more than excused.

"Waa-whan, ya whamen keddin' kwold!" his mouth was filled to the brim with ramen, making Tsunade wonder how he even managed to utter anything. "Woewd eye weed id foh yah?"

"Eh?" she replied, as she not understand what it was that he tried to say. But Tenten did. Before Tsunade could react, Tenten turned around and hit Naruto on the head. "Don't you call the awesome Tsunade-sama a Baa-chan!"

"Ow! But she is! I told you! She's a granny!" Foolish. Naruto had yet to learn not to argue against a fangirl, and now he had to pay the price. The look in Tenten's eyes was enough for Naruto to realize that he had to make a run for it. With a bowl of ramen in his hands, taking a bite every other step as if he was mocking Tenten, whom he still managed to evade.

"Stop there, you villain!"

"Ten-nee, I told ya that the old hag is just as old as Gama-jisan," Naruto laughed while running, a few decibels too loudly for the hangover-suffering Senju. "She's older than Kaa-chan, so-"

"Namikaze Naruto…" the tone itself was enough. He didn't even have to listen to her words, the way she spoke was sufficient already. He might not listen to Tenten or Tsunade, but Kushina was a completely different story. Two words, and Kushina had him frozen in his tracks.

Not expecting Naruto to stop running so abruptly, Tenten crashed into him, causing them to tumble over each other. Tsunade thought she'd break a few ribs from laughter when she saw the final result. With spinning eyes, Naruto lay on the ground with the empty bowl on top of his head.

Empty, because the remainder of his ramen had ended up in Tenten's brown hair. Tenten, who was equally dazed, lying on top of Naruto. Apparently they both had sturdy heads, having knocked each other out in the accident. A small tickle of blood ran from Naruto's nose, making the intertwined position in which the two lay look even more awkward than it already was.

"This would have been so much fun if they had been a few years older," Tsunade snickered. Kushina glared at her. "What? Too soon?"

"I don't even want to think my little baby will become like that," Kushina huffed.

"You can't keep them young forever, Kushina," Tsunade laughed. "Look at Shizune-chan."

"I'm no child anymore, Tsunade-sama, sober up please," Shizune sighed. "Considering the way you are always acting, I'd say _you_ are the kid here," she mumbled afterwards.

"I heard that..."

"Are the children okay?" Teuchi looked concerned from the other side of the counter.

"They'll be fine, Teuchi-san, we've got a medic here. Can you check up on the kids, Tsunade?" Kushina asked wearily. "And…" she bowed a bit closer the last of the Senju clan, "could you check if Tenten-chan was violated or not?" she added in whisper.

"What?!" Tsunade narrowed her eyes, glaring at the Uzumaki.

"I'll tell you the whole story later, but the chain of events which led her to us wasn't the prettiest one."

Kushina's grim expression silenced both master and student, so they moved in to check up on the children before they would wake them up. Well, after Tsunade cleansed her blood of alcohol, of course. _'Medical ninjutsu for the win!'_ Tsunade reckoned.

Much to Kushina's relief, Tsunade found nothing pointing to anyone ever having abused the little girl. Tenten didn't understand what that man had tried to do to her, and Kushina was afraid that before all this… but those fears were baseless. Still, Kushina swore that she would personally ensure that nothing like that would ever happen to Tenten. At the same time Shizune, who was inspecting Naruto, began to frown. "Tsunade-sama, can you check his chest?"

Doing as asked, Tsunade began to frown as well. "Kushina, can you explain what happened to him?"

"There were men who tried to attack him. Minato prevented it, but we found out that Naruto used some chakra which wasn't his. You know, _its_."

"Did he ever break any bones? Any strange illnesses?" Kushina shook her head at every question Tsunade could think of. As far as she knew, Naruto was the epitome of good health, being both a jinchuriki and an Uzumaki.

"Why are you asking?" Kushina asked worriedly. The way Tsunade kept scanning Naruto's chest didn't sit well with her.

"His chest... There seems to be a piece of bone which doesn't belong there," Tsunade searched for words to explain it. "I don't understand. I cannot find any fracture, and none of his bones are missing either. And the shape…"

"It is almost like he grew a new piece of bone on top of his ribs," Shizune explained when she saw the mother look in confusion. "It is only a thin layer, but… Well, it shouldn't be there."

"Does… Does Naruto need surgery?"

"I am afraid he does, Kushina-sama," Shizune tried to comfort her. "For a growing child, it cannot be healthy to have such a bone in that place. It would likely inhibit him from growing up like he needs to. Muscle tissue might end up deformed, etcetera. While the bone doesn't do any harm right now, the long-term consequences could be worse."

"Don't look so scared, Kushina. It'll be quick and the brat won't feel a thing. I do need to get him to a proper environment though," Tsunade shivered for a moment, reliving a bad memory. "And this time you're getting him to the hospital yourself. I don't want to experience _that_ ever again."

"I told you, I don't know where he learned those words..."

"Half the village thought I wanted to abduct the brat! The other half thought that I was about to murder him!"

"…nor what gave him the idea to scream and struggle like that," Kushina scowled. "Though, I do suspect it was Minato telling Naruto that he would get an injection, that time. My husband is too soft when it comes to our child," she added a bit frostily.

' _Look who is talking. Minato-sama isn't half as protective of the boy as you are,'_ Shizune sighed. "Shall we take him before he wakes up? That would save us a repeat of that entire scene. Seriously, Tsunade-sama, you should have known that you would only made things worse when you started to knock out those anbu… I'll wake up Tenten-chan."

* * *

Meanwhile, Uchiha Itachi was still waiting on the doorstep of the Namikaze mansion. Contrary to what Minato had told him, no one seemed to be at home. He knocked, but no one answered. He could not feel any chakra either. He considered it rude to force himself into the house. Besides, it would likely trigger one of the many seals he had seen. And he had no doubt that there were far more which he had not spotted yet. Going out on a search did not seem wise either, considering that his orders were to wait here. Acting hastily would probably result in making a very bad first impression with the family. He did not want to be responsible for giving the Yondaime a bad idea of the Uchiha clan.

So he just stood there, waiting.

* * *

"Why does Naruto have to do this suggory thingy?"

"It is pronounced 'surgery', Tenten-chan. Tsunade found something which shouldn't be there, so she and Shizune are removing that."

"It's my fault, isn't it?" Tenten asked, already watering up. "Because I didn't pay attention and crashed into him, he-"

"It is _not_ your fault," Kushina ensured the little girl. "So stop crying, and just wait. Tsunade is the best medic in the world. Removing a wayward little piece of bone is no problem for her at all."

As if on cue, Shizune peaked around the corner. "Kushina-sama?"

"Coming. Okay Tenten-chan, just wait for a minute, I'll be right back."

But Tenten grabbed Kushina's green dress as if her life depended on it. "You going to leave me, because I hurt Naruto, aren't you?"

"Hey, calm down," Kushina kneeled so that she had her eyes on the same level as Tenten. "I am not going to abandon you. And you are not responsible for what is happening to Naruto now. So calm down," Kushina bowed forward and hugged the distressed girl. "Here... I'll leave my hairpin in your care. It is something very valuable to me, so you can count on it that I'm going to be back, okay?"

"'kay," the little brunette sniffed, holding the hairpin in her little hand. "I just..."

"You're scared, I understand. Do you know that I was an orphan too?" Kushina kissed the girl on her forehead. "I know this is scary, but you'll make it through- just as I did."

"I'll… I'll try."

"I know you are a brave little girl," Kushina smiled. "You'll make a fine kunoichi one day, just like me! I'll go get Naruto and then we're all going back to home."

* * *

"Hm. It's not getting much warmer," Itachi saw the sun sink. He'd rather have been home right now. ' _I suppose Okaa-sama is nearly finished preparing dinner now. Sasuke must be going mad, with me being away from home the entire day.'_

Itachi sighed. "A whole day of waiting. This was not how I expected my first real mission as an anbu to go…"

* * *

"Such a sensitive and sweet child," Shizune smiled wistfully. "It saddens me that orphans have such a bad position in the village. Have you really adopted her, Kushina-sama?"

"Not officially, Shizune," Kushina sighed. "Minato thought… well, being related to him also has the unfortunate consequence of drawing a lot of unwanted attention from the other nations. We took Tenten-chan in, but for the meantime we decided not to officially adopt her. If she were named Namikaze Tenten, we'd probably do her more harm than good. And with things as they are now, we also take care of her. I've always wanted a daughter, even though… well, after Naruto's birth, I realized that giving birth isn't something my body can endure."

That her heart went out to all the orphans of Konoha was a well-known fact, one which even Shizune knew. Tsunade once told her that Kushina felt guilty for what occurred, that night when Naruto was born. That because of it, Kushina and Minato did their best to set an example for the entire village. Sadly, the clans of Konoha still held a lot of power, stopping any real changes from getting through the council. They only wished to protect and expand their own power, labeling those without blood relations to them as inferior.

' _They assume that we are limited by our blood, that we possess inborn potential, one which we can never surpass,_ _'_ Shizune lamented. ' _That way of thinking limits us, blinds us. It makes us arrogant. Even with all the research that Tsunade-sama has done, all we could show is that strength and intelligence might be in part decided by genetics, but that it says nothing about the quality of a person. Education, upbringing, the people around you, society in general… With the abilities they are born with, each person can become so much, that they are forced to make choices. Still, without effort, blood is of no consequence, and people will still be weak!_ _'_

"Tsunade, how is my son?" Kushina did not waste a second after she stepped inside the room. She saw her son, still asleep, and by the looks of it Naruto would not even have a scar to remind himself that this had happened.

A thin disc of bone lies on a platter, some blood still on it. Kushina looked at it, after Tsunade pointed her at the object. "This… We removed this piece of bone from the kid's chest," Tsunade mumbled.

"Well, and?"

"This piece of bone is no ordinary bone," Tsunade hesitated, as if she was unsure what to say. "I… I have never seen anything like it. It is completely infused with chakra. I think… Naruto, he _grew_ that piece of bone."

"…what?"

"I don't know, I need more time to figure this out. But I think he somehow created that piece of bone," Tsunade sighed. "It would make sense if this somehow was related to the Kyuubi. Tell me, did you ever have this problem Kushina?"

"I… No! I never grew bones. I mean, I once broke my leg, and that healed in a day, but that's… Well, the regenerative factor the Kyuubi granted me."

"This isn't a matter of regeneration," Shizune frowned. "That bone wasn't supposed to be there."

' _Is this… Is it the deal we made with the Kyuubi? But that night, he said that Naruto wouldn_ _'_ _t be affected for the first six or so years. So why_ _…'_ Kushina didn't know. The Kyuubi manifested far earlier than they had anticipated. She and Minato had sent word to Jiraiya, who would try to contact the man who had saved them that day. But if he could make it to Konoha before Naruto would turn six…

Tsunade narrowed her eyes, paying close attention to Kushina's expression. "You're hiding something. I wonder… You and Minato always act so damn shady about what happened that night."

"We cannot say," Kushina looked at the Senju, with a grave gaze the latter rarely saw from what she had believed to be the openhearted Uzumaki. Kushina held secrets too. "We are bound by our promises. Neither Minato nor I can talk about it."

"You know, Jiraiya has this peculiar theory that someone else interfered that night. Even Sensei seemed to agree with that thought. But if you two trust the one who interfered… Well, who are we to doubt you, when we weren't even there?" Tsunade said bitterly.

"Stop beating yourself up over that. You had your reasons for staying away from Konoha."

"I'm part Uzumaki, Kushina, and part Senju. If I had been there… I could have been the one to… that kid would never have had to suffer," Tsunade ruffled through the unconscious boy's hair. "Instead, Naruto has to carry the Kyuubi with him for the rest of his life. I heard people talk, Kushina. The situation is far worse than when you were a brat," she spat. "Those ungrateful dunces should fall to their knees and thank Naruto for what he does! He's the one who keeps the Kyuubi at bay."

"They… eventually Konoha will understand," Kushina muttered, though even she had some trouble believing those words. "But he's also Minato's son. And half the village seems to worship Minato, the new 'Shinobi no Kami'. It won't be long before the clans will start to move, trying to marry their daughters to my little boy. Did you know the Hyuga gave us a proposal, when Naruto wasn't even a year old?!"

"You're overprotective, girl," Tsunade smirked. "Hehe, you know, Jiraiya once told me that he was looking forward to giving him 'the talk' when he reaches that age."

"Over my dead body," Kushina glared at the snickering Senju.

"And mine too. No way am I letting that old toad turn the gaki into a pervert," Tsunade said, smiling lovingly at the boy whom she more or less considered to a grandchild. Though she didn't exactly like it that he called her a 'grandmother', as she was far too young and beautiful for that! "Well, I'll take that piece of bone and try to analyze it. But don't get your hopes up. Now, shall we take the kid home? I'm betting the little starry-eyed girl will be worried sick by now."

* * *

"Ehhh!? Baa-chan took me to the hospital?" Naruto had barely woken up, and already he made noise for two, three, well, a class-full of children.

"When are you going to stop calling me that, you brat!" Tsunade snarled in mock-anger.

"Love you too, Baa-chan," Naruto grinned. "But why?"

"Well, Tenten-chan knocked you out, so I decided to use the opportunity and give you a proper health check," Tsunade huffed. "At least this way I knew for sure that you wouldn't run away, or start screaming that I would murder you in the middle of the village."

"Ah, you remember that?" Naruto sheepishly scratched the back of his head.

"Of course I do, you little imp! I got a full platoon of anbu after me because of that, dammit!"

"Oops… Sorry," though the smile and Naruto's twinkling blue eyes told Tsunade that he'd do it right again. But no matter how mischievous he was, no matter how he could get under her skin at times, she never could stay angry at him for long.

"Sorry, what 'sorry'? What did you do this time, Naruto?" Kushina muttered. She and Tenten entered the living room carrying tea and cakes. Well, Tenten carried the cakes, as Kushina didn't want a five year-old carrying boiling hot water. Shizune sat in a chair, a bit drowsy now that she could finally calm down. Looking after Tsunade while she was in a gambling joint was exhausting work, and terrifying. It wouldn't have been the first time that the Senju blew all their money away in one afternoon- and then spend the rest of the week gambling away money from others.

Yugao sat on the sofa, calmly enjoying the banter between Naruto and Tsunade. It was hilarious how the world's most-feared kunoichi could get fooled by a little four year-old. Better entertainment was nowhere to be seen. The last person just stood awkwardly in the corner of the living room, and it was painfully obvious how unsure he was about how and where he was supposed to be. This person was the young anbu who was ordered by Minato to guard Naruto, just as Yugao served Kushina's guard. Well, Itachi would only be around during the day, unlike her.

"Do you also want some tea, Itachi-san?" Kushina asked offhandedly, completely ignoring his codename or the fact that he was supposed to be an active-duty anbu at the moment.

Seeing his plight, Yugao began to chuckle. "It's easier to surrender. In this house you won't survive for long if you keep acting so uptight. She'll kill you," Yugao pointed at Kushina. "And if she doesn't get you killed, then this little blond firecracker will drive you insane. Seriously, just forget about the formalities and relax!"

"I suppose little miss know-it-all will also stop calling me 'Kushina-sama' then?"

"That's an exception, Kushina-sama," Yugao laughed, though she immediately had to dodge the spoon that Kushina was using to stir her tea. Being the sweet tooth she was, Kushina always added a load of sugar to her tea, to the point where even Naruto spat it out.

Unless he would get ramen in return, of course.

"…I'll try," Itachi muttered, unsure how on earth a household of a shinobi of Minato's stature could be in such chaos. It was something completely foreign to Itachi, despite having a little brother who seemed to behave like a chipmunk on coffee half of the time. When Kakashi first talked about a bodyguard mission, Itachi had thought that it would be boring. But after thirty minutes of Naruto, he began to think that this would become good training. ' _Keeping up with a child as hyperactive as Naruto-san would be good endurance training. Perhaps I should buy some training weights, to make things even more challenging?_ _'_

Watching how Naruto stole Tsunade's cake and made a run for it, being chased by the famous slug princess herself, Itachi decided to wait before he'd buy those weights. This could become exhausting enough even without the extra weights.

* * *

"And, what mission did you receive?" Uchiha Fugaku was stern as usual. The head of the Uchiha clan, as well as the leader of the Konoha Military Police Force, was never too open and caring when it came to his children. While Itachi had long since adapted to it, his little brother Sasuke seemed to have more trouble coping with their distant father.

"I am to guard the son of the Yondaime Hokage."

Fugaku stared at his son, but both remained silent. Eventually, Fugaku decided to break that silence after a pause. "Unexpected. To think that man would assign you as a guard of his own son and jinchuriki of the Kyuubi no Kitsune."

"And yet he did," Itachi frowned slightly. While being honored, he did not expect his father to give such a response. "Otou-sama."

"The clan has often been accused of being behind the attack, four years ago," Fugaku explained, though it was odd for Itachi to see the man so cautious. "The Yondaime himself tried to sway the people," Fugaku said bitterly. "But when asked, he never gave a direct answer on whether or not an Uchiha was involved. His secrecy regarding that night made things worse for us."

"Yet he treats the clan fairly."

"Yet he left us to fend for ourselves. He stood by as the council isolated us more and more, and he…" Fugaku grimaced, some of his anger showing through his cold mask. "But enough about that. It is a good thing that you were assigned so closely to him. Try to gather as much information as you can, for the clan."

' _Does he even realize that Hokage-sama already saw through this façade? How blinded have you become, how blind has our clan become, father?_ ' Itachi was a bit surprised by the short-sightedness of his father. "Yes, Otou-sama."

* * *

It was late in the evening, after everyone had already gone to bed, when Minato finally returned home. He knew Kushina would put Naruto and Tenten in their beds early today. After all, the two of them were to go to the birthday party of the Yamanaka heiress tomorrow, and Minato knew that Kushina would need her rest as well. While she never complained to him, Minato could see that his wife always suffered from the aftereffects of the extraction. Still, both knew that they couldn't complain, as never before her had a jinchuriki had survived that.

He tried to get into bed silently without waking his wife, but even the infamous Yondaime would fail at times. Then again, Kushina was already awake. In fact, she was so preoccupied by her thoughts that she hadn't slept at all. Seeing how Minato was finally here, she practically dragged him in bed next to her, and with a hushed voice she told him of everything that had transpired that day.

"I… I got a message from Jiraiya-sensei," Minato admitted. "He said that he'll try to contact _him_. But somehow, he couldn't locate him through his network of informants. Nor the toads. The last thing we knew is that he wanted to travel to Kirigakure."

"Kiri is a chaos now," Kushina gasped. "You don't think that he's behind…"

"That wouldn't be impossible. But there is a possibility that he's delayed. And I cannot involve myself, not without causing war with Kiri."

"At which Iwa and Kumo would gladly jump to help Yagura…"

Minato was surprised by the bitterness in his wife's voice. "That is right. He wouldn't want us to risk a world war. You know he is competent enough, despite the weaknesses he has. That is why I told Jiraiya-sensei not to enter Mizu no Kuni. Besides, Sensei is already suspicious enough as it is," Minato said tiredly. "As for Naruto's situation with that bone… I'll order some people around so that Tsunade gets some help figuring out what it is."

"You don't know?" Kushina frowned. "I had hoped that perhaps you would…"

"I have nothing to base my suspicions on. Anything I'd say would probably be nonsense."

"But?" Kushina urged. She wasn't a fan of the carefulness Minato could display at these kinds of moments. She was far too impatient for that sort of thing. Then again, it was probably also the reason why Minato was considered a genius, as he was the one who thought things through before he acted, unlike herself.

There was only one clan he knew of, whom were capable of bending their skeleton to their wills. But they had a bloodline that had died out with them. But… could it be that Naruto somehow had the same potential? Or was it the Kyuubi?

"Shikotsumyaku," Minato mumbled.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

* * *

Well, I hope you liked the chapter! I integrated a lot of development regarding where I'm taking Naruto in terms his future abilities. Don't freak out just yet, I will explain! Very soon, even.

All praise to my beta **Illuminated**! And leave reviews!

In my other stories, I focus more on the darker spectrum of the Naruto-universe, but in this one I try to keep things a bit more innocent. Combine this different approach with the fact that I've got the latter half of the story planned out in quite some detail, and it leads to a somewhat bumpy start. Writing this way is a bit of a new experience for me, so every bit of feedback will help me improve!

* * *

-Z-


	5. Party!

**Apophenia**

 **Party!**

* * *

"Come on Naruto, finish your breakfast," Minato sighed. His son was more focused on playing around with his food, rather than eating it.

"Yeah, if you don't hurry, we'll be late," Kushina warned.

"Late? What for? Is it… Oh no, Baachan is in town," Naruto paled. "It's another examination, isn't it?!"

"No… no, it isn't," Kushina frowned.

"Does she want to take us to the petting farm again?" Naruto became even paler.

"What did Tsunade-sama do at the petting farm?" Tenten stared curiously at the white-as-a-corpse blond. She wondered what could trigger such a response from him.

"She has a thing for pigs. And a thing for that stinky sake stuff, so at the end of the day… She tried to liberate the all the little piglets," Naruto shook his head. "It was a total chaos. Even Shizune-neechan didn't know what to do!"

"You know she can't take you there again," Minato chided his son. "Tsunade still has that area-ban going, so she isn't allowed to get near that petting farm for the next two years…"

"She could've just paid for the repairs, but noooooo…" Kushina rolled her eyes. She agreed with Shizune that Tsunade's love for gambling was a disaster. She had neither luck nor skill, nor did she ever have collateral for the countless loans she made- to the point where Sarutobi Hiruzen once joked that Konoha would have to file for bankruptcy within the first week if Tsunade ever became Hokage. "But don't tell me you've forgotten, Naruto-chan?"

"Forgotten? What?" his blue eyes widening in surprise.

"Don't you wish to meet Hinata-chan again?" Minato teased.

"Hinata-chan is a bit weird," Naruto frowned. "She's so shy, I can't even talk with her. She always goes 'eep' and hides from me. I'm not that scary, am I?"

"Not everyone can be as assertive as Temari-chan," his father chuckled in response.

"She's bossy! Though, she's very nice to Gaara," Naruto laughed along, completely oblivious to the insinuation his father had made. Not that Kushina was, mind you. The glare she sent Minato's way was particularly frightening. Minato quickly decided to hide behind his newspaper, peeking through a small tear in an ad for Marked Man Sake. He still felt the pain from how his wife reacted when the council of Suna made a certain proposition to strengthen the alliance between their villages…

"Temari? Gaara?" Tenten wondered.

"We've been in Supergakure last month!" Naruto chirped. "Gaara's dad is a dusty shadow!"

"Naruto… Don't confuse Tenten-chan," the red-haired woman sighed. Yes, her husband had taken Naruto along during his last visit to their allies. Rasa, the Yondaime Kazekage, had more or less suggested that Temari and Naruto could be 'good friends', even before that preposterous letter from his council followed. Thus, Temari had already been added to the threat list in Kushina's "bingo book" of potential dangers to her little boy. Along with Hinata, Ino, and many, many more who Kushina thought were chasing after Naruto because of Minato. "Gaara's father is the Kazekage, the 'wind shadow', and their village is 'Sunagakure', not Supergakure. How many times do I have to tell you?"

"Names are difficult," Naruto pouted. "Like Konohagakure! Why can't we just call the village-"

"No! We're not going to rename Konoha to Ramengakure, and that is final!" Kushina snapped. "Now finish your sandwich, so that we can get you dressed properly. You as well, Tenten-chan."

"Errr, why do I have to go too?" Tenten wondered. "And where?"

"I told you before we went shopping yesterday: the two of you are going to birthday party of Ino-chan."

"Party?!" Naruto once again started to pale. "Will it be another boring dress-up party with those cere-thingies?"

"No, that was at the Hyuga compound, not the Yamanaka compound," Kushina grumbled. She wasn't too fond of the whole 'tea ceremony' thing either. Though, at least tea wasn't as revolting as coffee. After adding enough sugar, tea wasn't too bad. "And you've met Ino-chan before, right? She showed you their gardens last time we visited. You know she isn't the type for such ceremonial stuff either."

"Just wait a few years and she'll love ceremonies," Minato snickered from behind his paper, earning him a kick against the shin. Not that Naruto noticed any of this, he was far too relieved that it would be a fun party, and not a borefest like last time he had to dress up for a party. So he stopped loitering around and ate his sandwich. However, he was tempted to use it as a shuriken again. He loved shuriken practice. But one look at his mother had steered him away from that course of action; her hair began to float a little, which was Naruto's 'run like hell' signal.

* * *

"Lemmesleep, I'll be right back darling," a large… someone… twisted within a pile of blankets mumbled something which was barely audible. "Just gimme som'time. I'll be hard in a little while, sweetie."

The messenger coughed, not very comfortable to be there. At all.

"I sjed… Lemme sleep. Godda whangover…"

"Erm, honorable sir, I need to deliver a message."

"Massage? Massage would be great," a lecherous and rather intoxicated voice sounded from below the blankets.

"Like hell I'm going to give you a massage! I've got a message."

"…"

"WAKE UP!"

"Wha?" a tuft of white hair struggled to escape from the blankets.

"Jiraiya-sama, you've got to wake up!"

"Kooozuukkkee?" Jiraiya, completely pissed, blinked in the light. "You're not the girl I paid for, Koozzzuke."

"I suppose I should ask Gamabunta-sama if he could deliver the message?" the small red toad suggested. With blue markings around the eyes and on top of his head, and a pair of green goggles dangling around his neck, this was without a doubt Myobokuzan's fastest messenger toad: Kosuke.

"Bunta?" Jiraiya groaned. "No, nobunta… Nobunta… Headache. Butta shouts."

"We received a message for you," Kosuke sighed. Their summoner could be so annoyingly irresponsible at times.

"Minato? Did something happen to Naruto again?" The thought of that woke the man up. He still had one hell of a headache, and he probably had more alcohol than blood in his veins, but at least he was paying attention.

"Neh," Kosuke shrugged. "Here," he threw the scroll at Jiraiya, and poofed away in a tiny cloud of smoke. Jiraiya wished that the toad had read it to him. He really needed to focus his eyes, his drunken head was having difficulty reading the rather movable letters.

"He was already on his way to Konoha! What?! Crap!"

* * *

"Kushina-sama, are you sure that I should-"

"Itachi," Kushina looked sternly at the masked young anbu. "Cut it out with the stiff nonsense. Don't you dare to copy Yugao's cheekiness, or I'll make sure Minato will assign you the shittiest missions that you can possibly get."

"As you wish," Itachi mumbled. He never understood the woman's dislike of formal behavior. "But it might be better if I stay back, rather than come along."

"Minato ordered you to guard Naruto-chan, right?" the red-haired woman frowned. "Besides, don't you want to see Mikoto-chan?"

"Yay, Sasuke is at the party too!" Naruto cheered, drawing the wrong conclusion.

"I'm afraid my parents and Sasuke were not invited to the celebration of the birthday of the Yamanaka heiress," Itachi sighed.

"Ugh, that discriminatory drivel again," Kushina grimaced. "Dang, and here I was looking forward to seeing your mother again."

"Kaachan, what is dickridemantory," Naruto struggled to get the word out. "Discritimotary? No, that's not right either… Dhimminarotery?"

"It is 'discriminatory', and it means that some people don't like Itachi's clan," Kushina ended her son's struggle with the word, before he would injure his tongue.

"Really? That sounds stupid. Don't you think, Tenten-neechan?"

"N-neechan?" Tenten exclaimed, tripping over her own feet.

"Yup. You're living with us, so you're my neechan! You're a girl, right?" Naruto chirped, completely oblivious to the shock of the orphan girl. Shifting topic suddenly, "Ino-chan's house became even more flowery than the last time, didn't it?" he observed. The four of them stood in front of a larger-than-average house, which seemed to be flooded by the greatest variety of flowers and plants which Tenten had ever seen. This was quite the feat, considering the time of year. Normally such a variety of flowers would never be in bloom on the twenty-third of September.

"Thank you, Kushina-sama," a female voice sounded from behind.

"Yuriko... Why do you keep doing that?" Kushina scowled.

"Sneaking up on you, or teasing you with the honorifics you detest so much?" Yamanaka Yuriko smirked. She knew her former classmate had quite the short temper very well. Though, she wouldn't call the woman a tomato anymore, she learned that lesson. The hard way. "Naruto, why don't you go in and… wait, who is this lovely young lady?" the brown-haired Yamanaka wondered, deliberately ignoring what she heard about Uchiha Itachi. The calm and collected woman, whose behavior was much unlike her daughter, looked curiously at Tenten. Tenten, who suddenly felt very much out of place, would rather have kept herself hidden behind Kushina- but she knew that would be rude.

"H-hello, I am Tenten, Yamanaka-sama," she bowed. She knew that if this was the mother of Ino, the heiress of the clan, this woman would also be the wife of the head of the Yamanaka clan: someone far higher in the hierarchy than a lowly orphan like Tenten.

"Tenten-chan is living with us, as of recently," Kushina said on a tone which didn't tolerate any discussion on the matter. "So, considering how you invited Naruto, we also brought her along."

The Yamanaka looked at Kushina, slightly frowning, yet remained silent on the matter. As such, Kushina pushed Naruto into the direction of the house. "You two seek out Ino-chan, okay? Do you have the present for her birthday?"

"Yep," Naruto smiled, holding the package high. As the two children scurried off, Naruto more or less dragging the shy Tenten along, Yuriko turned to the wife of the Hokage while the two women followed the children.

"So, what's the story behind this Tenten girl?"

The children, closely followed by Itachi, ran into the building. Naruto proudly holding the wrapped present for Ino. The blond man at the door smiled and let them through, although he did frown a little due to the presence of an anbu. Then again, this was the son of the Yondaime Hokage. Both Iwagakure and Kumogakure would celebrate if the boy never reached maturity, fearing the rise of a second 'Kiiroi Senko'.

The house itself was completely decorated, over-abundantly so. Then again, Ino was treated like a princess within her clan. The sheer luxury left Tenten stunned. The young orphan had never seen things like these, not even in the Namikaze household. Then again, Minato and Kushina preferred a more down-to-earth lifestyle. Both preferred a normal life, neither being pretentious enough to view themselves as nobility. Clans, however, had a different view on things.

Tenten had not had the opportunity to acquaint herself with the strange world of clans yet. "Erm, Naruto, is it really okay that I am here?" Tenten looked around. All the people here were dressed so richly, making her feel completely out of place…

"Sure, why not?" Naruto frowned, not understanding why an orphan like Tenten felt insecure. "This is a party, let's find Ino-chan and have fun! I wanna show you the garden, the flowers really looked-"

That was as far as Naruto got. All Tenten saw was a blonde blur, one which rudely pushed her aside and rushed at Naruto. Next, Itachi landed, separating the child he was guarding from a little loud blonde girl. Dazed and confused, Naruto needed a few seconds before he realized what had happened. By that time, the girl was already shouting at Itachi.

Instantly, half a dozen Yamanaka surrounded the lone Uchiha, kunai drawn, and ordered him to put the girl down. Still not understanding what all the fuss was about, Naruto jumped in to protect his protector.

"Step aside, Namikaze-san. We have to apprehend that Uchiha traitor," one of the blond men growled.

"Itachi-niichan isn't a tractor!" Naruto shouted at the man, not knowing the meaning of the word yet well aware that the man intended to hurt Itachi.

' _How do they know I am an Uchiha?'_ Itachi had never realized it, but somewhere along the line he had activated his dojutsu. The crimson sharingan gave away his identity and his clan, in spite of the mask he was wearing. Inwardly, Itachi scolded himself for his lack of composure, but it was too late to undo it now. He had clearly seen the girl wielding something made of metal, and he was under strict orders to protect Naruto, even if it meant staining his clan's name in this case. However, Itachi knew that these men were already prejudiced. They were among the large group within Konoha that secretly blamed the Uchiha for what happened during the night of the Kyuubi attack, which was also the reason why his parents and his little brother had not been invited.

"Hey, what's going on in here?" Kushina, flanked by previously hidden Yugao, approached. "Why the hell are you idiots attacking Naruto's guard?"

"The Uchiha," the Yamanaka nearly spat out the word. "He attacked Ino-chan, and-"

"Cut it out with this nonsense," Kushina pointed. "What is the girl holding?"

"…a knife," one of the Yamanaka admitted sheepishly.

"And this anbu is ordered by my husband to guard Naruto against any threat, foreign or domestic," Kushina bit back at the six. "How would you interpret a situation where an armed girl rushed at my son?" She already knew well enough how Ino responded when she saw Naruto. The girl was a little bit too outspoken in her liking for Naruto in Kushina's opinion, but something which Inoichi no doubt wouldn't mind. ' _I'm getting a bit paranoid. At every turn I see people who want to marry their daughters to my boy…'_ the red-haired woman scowled at the thought that people were after Naruto solely due to his relation to Minato.

"I'm sorry," Ino said a bit glumly. "But I only wanted to show Naruto-kun a new flower. That's why I had the knife, it's just for gardening, you know!"

"Let's all just forget about this, okay?" Inoichi smiled jovially, although the look he cast at his clanmates said more than enough. "I'd like it if your guard was a little less jumpy, though," he chuckled, but Kushina knew he was very serious underneath his smiling façade. As protective as she was over Naruto, this man was perhaps even worse when it came to his daughter.

"It won't happen again," Kushina promised. "However, I'd like it if your men were a little less prejudiced when it comes to the Uchiha clan."

"Shall we ignore politics for today?" Inoichi's smile had faltered just enough in his response for Kushina to see where he stood. Obviously the Yamanaka clan was no friend to the Uchiha, much like the Aburame and the Hyuga. Then again, some of the records they had found within Danzo's office had suggested links between Danzo and the Yamanaka clan. Sadly, Minato had never been able to find any real evidence.

' _But Danzo's principles have not been forgotten. He may have fled, knowing that Orochimaru's death would create a problem for him too, but those who supported him are still around,_ ' Kushina suddenly felt uncomfortable. Danzo's ideas on the usage of jinchuriki had been anything but subtle, after all. How many people shared those thoughts? How would these people see Naruto?

"Come on, Naruto-kun," Ino hopped to him, and dragged him outside. Not knowing what to do with herself, Tenten just stood there and looked around, lost in a crowd where she didn't feel like she belonged- until Kushina gestured to her, telling her to follow Naruto and Ino. Kushina would rather have kept Naruto close, but she couldn't ignore Inoichi and Yuriko either. Besides, the Nara and Akimichi families were already approaching as well. ' _Damn you, Minato-kun. Using your position as an excuse to get out of this,'_ she grumbled inwardly. She didn't like leaving her son with a girl as assertive as Ino.

Then again, this was also a reason why she had insisted on bringing Tenten along, invited or not. And considering how the other children – the Nara boy literally had to be shoved out by his mother – also went outside… ' _Let them play around. They're just kids. And Itachi is keeping an eye on them as well.'_

"I had hoped to meet you today, Namikaze-sama," the Nara started. And this was why Minato tried to avoid parties. There was too much politics, while he went to great lengths to remain neutral between the clans.

* * *

"See, Kaasan got all the roses to bloom again!" Ino beamed.

While Naruto had been weary of the rather bossy and overbearing girl, they shared one thing: a love for flowers. The difference, however, was that Ino was raised in a family where flowers were a daily business, while Kushina didn't have much love for gardening. After the extraction of the Kyuubi, Kushina left those sorts of taxing jobs to others. She was already struggling to manage the household independently, although Yugao imposed her help more often than not, so Kushina usually left the garden to others. She never had those 'green fingers' like Yuriko, so hiring a gardener had been easier for the Namikaze family.

After all, with a village to govern, Minato had little time to spare.

Naruto's eye, however, was drawn away from the roses, towards a bush which grew several feet in height. The bush had long, slender branches that drooped across the paths within the garden, and carried small, yet pretty, white flowers. "What's that one?"

"Oh, that's a bush clover," Ino said offhandedly. "Those are supposed to be growing right now." In comparison, she found it much more interesting that her mother had succeeded in reviving the roses again, than sustaining something as common as the bush clover. "We have one with pink and red too, over there," Ino pointed.

"Tenten-neechan, come and look!" Naruto smiled back at the surprised girl.

"So… he's chaos in the flesh, yet likes botany?" she gazed at the boy who would call her a sister, with a look of utter disbelief.

"Yeah, they're both troublesome." Two boys, one chubby and one lazy-looking, approached Tenten. By the looks, they were around the same age as she was, although Tenten was a bit taller so she suspected that she was the eldest. "Nara Shikamaru," the black-haired lazy-looking boy extended his hand. It was not with too much enthusiasm, but it seemed friendly enough.

"Tenten," then she accepted the gesture, and shook his hand.

"Akimichi," the chubby boy started. "Choji," he finished after taking a bite. Talking while eating a bag of chips was not as easy as it seemed. Or perhaps it was just because he didn't pause stuffing his mouth while he was talking? Tenten wished he had cleaned his hands before he greeted her. Now her hands were chips-flavored too…

"No clan or family name?" Shikamaru slightly frowned.

"Ehh, no," Tenten laughed a bit awkwardly. "Kaa… Kushina-san and Naruto dragged me along." She blushed, embarrassed that she had nearly misspoke. Tenten scolded herself to keep her little fantasies private. Fathers, mothers, brothers… she had no right to say such things, she thought.

"Oh, so you're living at Naruto's place?" Shikamaru sighed tiredly. It was not the sort of response that Tenten had been expecting. Why on earth would he find that particular fact problematic?

"What?"

"Just… don't mention that to Ino, okay? She'll go crazy if she learns she has got competition," Shikamaru scowled, and Choji looked rather frightened. "Look, our dads drag us along every time. Our dads and Ino's dad are friends, so we're supposed to cooperate as well. Choji is a good guy, he's no trouble, but Ino-"

"Thanks, Shikamaru," the rotund boy smiled at the compliment. Not many regarded him as a friend, which made Shikamaru's remark all the more special to him.

"But Ino," the Nara continued. "She can be a pain when she's moody. Perhaps it's because her parents spoil her, or perhaps it is just an inborn form of troublesomeness. Perhaps it's because she is a girl. I don't know." He yawned, and sat down on the grass. Choji quickly followed, and Tenten decided to do that as well.

It seemed better than following the turquoise-eyed Yamanaka, who only seemed to have eyes for all the flowers in the large garden, and for Naruto. The way the girl kept positioning herself next to Naruto was a little weird, although Naruto seemed completely oblivious to it, Tenten observed.

"Man... Ever since Ino found out that Naruto loves flowers she's gone completely nuts," Shikamaru sighed. "Not sure how he can cope with it. It seems far too tiring to my liking."

"I don't think Naruto easily tires," Tenten deadpanned. "If I learned one thing, it would be that no one is as hyperactive as he is."

"They'll join us when they grow tired of the flowers," Choji smiled. "Seen anyone else, Shika?"

"Neh, you know how this stuff goes. It's Ino's birthday, but considering how she's the heir it always becomes a clan affair."

"Do all the clans visit?" Tenten blinked.

"Us three clans, and the Aburame often visit, just like the Sarutobi clan and the Namikaze family," the lazy boy looked up at the skies, and saw the clouds drifting high. "I saw a few Hyuga stalking about as well. Perhaps Hinata will join us as well."

"Hinata?"

"Yeah, she's the heir of the Hyuga clan," Shikamaru explained. "Can't say I ever properly spoke to her, though. She doesn't really seem to like talking."

"She's very friendly, just a bit shy," Choji clarified. "And you gave up on talking to her too easily, Shika."

"Huh, I would've expected more kids in a birthday party like this," Tenten frowned. "I always heard that these parties focus on kids, rather than the grownups."

"Heard?" Shikamaru remarked. Considering how she had lacked a family name, he had already guessed that she was an orphan. The question of yhy she was living in the household of the Yondaime Hokage intrigued him, so he asked.

"Now you're the one being troublesome," Choji laughed heartily. He could see how the question bothered the girl, who had a bit of a depressed look, and Choji didn't like it when people were uncomfortable. At the same time, he saw the fun in Shikamaru being exactly the same thing which annoyed him most.

"No... It's alright," Tenten smiled weakly. "I'm an orphan, and birthdays aren't really celebrated in the orphanages. The only important thing about your age is that you have the right to leave the orphanage when you hit twelve."

"How did you end up in the household of Konoha's most powerful shinobi?" Shikamaru may have been lazy, but he was also curious. At least, he was curious about anything he could learn without having to put too much effort into it. He was an intelligent boy for his age, and his father had often told him he needed a lot more knowledge if he wanted to be able to stand even a ghost of a chance against him in shogi. Gathering the necessary information to gain that knowledge was 'troublesome', though.

As Tenten was giving a brief explanation of how she met Naruto, as well as how she got accepted into the Namikaze household (omitting several things like why she fled the orphanage in the middle of night), Naruto was being dragged around by Ino.

He really did believe her, and agreed that there were some really beautiful flowers to be seen in the Yamanaka garden, but still… "I think the bush clover is more beautiful," he interrupted a lengthy monologue which Ino had given about some sort of oddly-colored tulip. "Perhaps these are more colorful, and the bush clover might be a bit plain in comparison, but I think that is only more beautiful due to that. It is more modest," Naruto said, with unusual eloquence for him.

"Plain?" Ino frowned. "It isn't plain, dummy! Kaasan said that the branches represent the elegance which only women have, but she also said that it is a symbol of vigor."

"Vi… What?"

"Vigor, energy, life," Ino summed up what the word meant, according to her. "Kaasan said that it a symbol of life because it can produce young offshoots even from the oldest stocks!"

"Oh, so they aren't as simple as they look? Sorry," Naruto scratched the back of his head, laughing a bit awkwardly. "Still, I like that one the most."

"According to Tousan, it also symbolizes a blunt and candid love," Ino smirked, though not as subtle as she thought she did. "He says I'm the embodiment of a bush clover."

"Err… didn't you say it represented elegance?"

"Yeah, what of it?" Ino narrowed her eyes. That had not been the answer she had been expecting from the boy.

"Ah, ahaha," Naruto laughed uneasily, knowing he had to shut up. And fast. She seemed too impetuous to him to ever be represented by a flower which equaled elegance. He knew he would get in trouble if he said that out loud. He could see that in her turquoise-colored eyes. His awkwardness, however, only gave him more problems. She eyed him suspiciously, and Naruto frantically sought for something to distract the girl. "Oh, hey Hinata-chan!" he greeted his rescuer.

Something behind the hedge 'eeped', but it was already too late for the shy Hyuga. Ino had taken the bait and noticed the dark-blue haired girl. With Ino being Ino, there was no escape for the shy Hyuga. "Why are you hiding? Come out!" Ino scurried after the hiding heiress. "Stop hiding, Hinata!"

"H-hello," Hinata muttered, knowing that she had been caught anyway.

"Hi," Naruto smiled. "So you like flowers too?"

"Ermm… Y-yes?"

"So, which do you like better, the roses or the bush clover?" Ino urged.

Hinata looked at Naruto, and then at Ino, then she noticed the three other children near the building, and… well, Hinata had heard what Ino just said. She wanted to say that she liked the roses better, but it had seemed to her that the bush clover was also very important to Ino… ' _What should I say?'_

"Told ya that the bush clover was better," Naruto chuckled, increasing the weight of Hinata's ordeal.

"But the roses are far more special in this time of the year," Ino countered.

"Doesn't make them prettier, does it?"

"They don't need to, because… Wait, Hinata? Hinata? Hey," Ino tried to shake the Hyuga, but she had passed out. Not able to come up with an answer, and feeling the pressure to give one mounting, the poor girl's brain had short-circuited.

"Okay… that was _weird_."

"Naruto-kun, don't say something like that, it's rude!"

"But it's true!"

Watching the children from the rooftop, Itachi had to struggle to resist the urge to smack himself in the face. Well, against his mask. _'I thought Sasuke was a busybody, but I take that back… Those two blondes will destroy the entire village when they grow up and keep acting like this- especially when the girl improves her flirting. Kushina-sama will get quite a few headaches if this develops as I think it will. Thankfully Naruto is still completely oblivious...'_

"This seems like quite the cozy little party."

Itachi was surprised, as he had never seen the man coming. Even he, with his famous eyes, had been caught completely off guard. Drawing his tanto, Itachi rushed towards his ward, but the man was faster. Much faster.

From up close, Itachi saw the man. He was fairly tall, with unruly and fiery red hair, even brighter than Kushina's. Wearing black pants and a long sleeved shirt, only his white traveling cloak looked out of place for an assassin. The ginger man wore a white and smooth mask akin to that of an anbu, although the mask lacked holes for his eyes and lacked a distinct pattern like all anbu had. "Relax, Uchiha-san. I'm only here to take little Naruto out for a walk."

"I cannot allow you to take him away. Which village do you serve?"

"Tsk, don't ask such foolish questions, boy. You can see that I do not wear a hitai-ate, can't you? Oh, and don't bother attempting putting me under one of those nifty genjutsus of yours. Your dojutsu is a bit pointless against a blind man like me," the voice was deep, and clearly amused.

Itachi, however, was not amused. He shouted at the children, urging them to get inside and warn the adults. ' _Why hasn't anyone else shown up yet?'_ Itachi couldn't shake off the thought that this was some kind of elaborate trap. Snatching the son of the Yondaime away while an Uchiha was supposed to protect the boy… it would make the position of the clan all the more desperate. Was this a set-up? Itachi knew that he couldn't allow it to happen, it would be a disaster for his clan!

Yet, blind or not, the masked man effortlessly caught Itachi's sword. Realizing that he was outmatched both in speed and reach, Itachi switched to ninjutsu. However, randomly spitting fireballs at the man was a no-go, considering how the unconscious Hyuga heiress lay nearby.

"Just quit this, I don't want to get bored," the masked man lazily threw the Uchiha prodigy aside.

' _His strength is unreal! And I can't even see him using that much chakra, how is it possible for a man to have this much physical power?'_ but regardless of his growing anxiety, Itachi leapt back and rushed through the hand seal.

Itachi was not the type of person who would boast about his prowess, but he did accept the fact that he was unusually fast when it came to forming seals. In fact, Itachi guessed he was about as fast as his father in this regard, even though Fugaku was still easily more powerful than the ten year-old in practically every other aspect.

Still, this unknown assailant closed in before Itachi had even finished his fifth seal. A fist connected harshly to Itachi's chest, sending him crashing into the wall of the Yamanaka house. Immediately, shinobi rushed outside. Kushina, in spite of her handicap, quickly followed. But they were too late. The man already lifted Naruto from the ground.

The children had been too stunned to react. It had all happened so quickly, the man and Itachi had moved so fast…

Kushina could do little more than helplessly watch the man disappear with a crying Naruto under his arm. "Naruto!" she stood there, frozen, panicked. Then, she grabbed the nearest Yamanaka by the collar, commanding him to warn her husband. ' _Naruto was kidnapped, this was a declaration of war! But from whom? Had Iwa finally gathered the courage to set foot outside their borders again? Or was it another 'brave' attempt from Kumogakure to steal children?'_

Oh, how she cursed her own weakness. Her helplessness. But she had to leave it up to Minato. Perhaps her husband had already noticed Naruto's distress. Perhaps one of Kakashi's men or women had noticed the kidnapper. But Kushina had to remain strong. Tenten was in panic, as were the other children. For some reason, the Hyuga heiress was unconscious on the ground, while the Yamanaka heiress stood near the girl, crying her eyes out. The parents and guards who had not rushed after the kidnapper quickly tended to the children. Kushina knew she had to be there for Tenten.

* * *

The red-haired kidnapper, meanwhile, did not care. As far as he was concerned, they could send anyone they wanted after him. It wouldn't matter to his plan. No, all he wanted was for little Naruto to panic, to get angry, to tap into the massive chakra of the Kyuubi. That was all the man with the pale white mask wanted to see- well, figuratively at least, considering how he couldn't see. It took him only a few minutes before he landed in a clearing outside Konohagakure.

"Yo, you caught him, Tousan?" a little red-haired girl was waiting for the man. Her dark brown eyes filled with curiosity. Naruto was a bit younger than she was, but the girl couldn't imagine that she had ever cried like him. "Is that wuss really the kid you wanted to see? You probably took the wrong one."

"Do you think that I would make such a mistake?" the masked man chuckled. "Now, Naruto-kun, let us see that power of yours…"

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

* * *

And cut! Yes, this story has some action too. Which was about time, I guess, but I had to properly introduce the kids. After all, with Minato and Kushina alive, Naruto's life is significantly different, so this first arc is a bit calm and quiet. Unlike in the manga, Naruto now grows up while having friends. While there is mistrust due to his status as jinchuriki, people will happily forget it if it means that they get a chance to suck up to Minato.

By contrast, in the manga, Sasuke was accepted in Konoha because he was the last survivor of the clan, a victim. But in this alternate universe, the entire clan is still alive and kicking. While a lone child isn't feared, a powerful clan is a completely different matter. In addition, there are quite a few suspicions circulating through the village about what happened during the night of the Kyuubi attack. Following the canon story, this means that the Uchiha clan isn't exactly loved by the general population.

But of course, a more pressing matter is the kidnapping of our main character! Who is this masked man? What does this red-haired man want from Naruto, why the interest in the Kyuubi? And what lunatic would want to wake up the fox in front of his little daughter? You'll find out next chapter!

As for Ino's mother, Yamanaka Yuriko: Kishimoto never told us her name, so I lazily used the same name for her character as I used in The Honoured Guest, my first fic. Make me and my beta **Illuminated** happy, and leave a **review**! Although I heard that a picture of Anko in lingerie would make Illuminated even happier.

We both wish you all a merry Christmas and a happy new year!

* * *

-Z-

* * *

 **Omake: Vaccinations…**

* * *

It was one week after his fourth birthday party when Minato warned him. They were coming for him- with needles, the pointy things which the little boy hated- in that white bad-smelling building filled with nurse-people. Naruto didn't like nurse-people, but nurse-people with pointy needles were the worst kind.

"It vaccination against possible diseases," Minato explained patiently.

Naruto didn't see the point of sending diseases on vacation, but it was better than getting sick. But hell, he'd never been sick anyway, so why the needles? Needles hurt, and the nurse-people seemed to enjoy hurting him. Obviously, Kushina and Minato knew about this. So they hired the one medic whom Naruto would obey, but did not associate with hospitals: Tsunade.

"Baachan!" he jumped into her arms, cheering that she was visiting again.

"Brat, how many times do I have to tell you that it is rude to call me a granny," Tsunade gently bopped the boy on his head. "Call me Bachan, or Neechan, but not Baachan!"

"But you're as old as Gama-jisan!"

"You refer to Jiraiya as an uncle, yet me as a granny?"

Naruto gave her a big toothy grin when she sighed in exasperation. "But you're the best Baachan in the whole world!"

Snickering from a distance, Shizune saw how her teacher melted at the boy's words, as usual. ' _She really is unable to resist Naruto-kun's charms. When will she ever learn?'_

Although Tsunade had assured her younger apprentice that she'd be able to handle Naruto on her own, Shizune had decided to remain vigilant. As unpredictable as Tsunade was, Naruto was starting to become even worse…

…as was soon demonstrated. Holding him by his tiny hand, with him taking two or three steps to her one, Tsunade and Naruto took a seemingly-innocent stroll through the village. Even from the rooftops, Shizune could hear her nephew-figure talk on and on about the craziest variety of things. Ramen was a recurring theme, naturally. Knowing him since he was born, Shizune was well aware that the boy's world revolved around three things: his mother, his father, and his ramen.

The threat of depriving him from his ramen was one of the best ways to keep the hyperactive child in their control. Sadly, to execute such a threat, one had to possess a firmness which Tsunade (and Minato) did not possess- at all. The big, innocent, sky-blue eyes always undermined their determination, and if the infamous puppy-eyes didn't work, the whiskers on his chubby cheeks would.

At times, Shizune swore that the boy knew exactly what to do to get Tsunade wrapped around his little finger. Today that couldn't happen. As said, _they_ wanted him to go to the hospital. With his 'baachan' near, the boy had forgotten all about it, until the hospital sign appeared at the end of the street…

The speed at which he then moved his tiny little legs impressed Shizune, and the timing was impeccable, as always. With Tsunade being caught by surprise, little Naruto would have gotten away among the masses on the street if not for Shizune's interference.

"Thank you, Shizune."

"I told you to keep an eye on Naruto-kun, Tsunade-sama."

"How could I know that he-"

"I don' wanna go to ho'pita! I don'wanna!" the boy whined, but after a stern look from Shizune, Tsunade lifted the boy off his feet and carried him towards the hospital. Caught between two fires, Tsunade knew there was no way to keep both of her precious people satisfied; so, she chose the most sensible option.

"Calm down, Naruto-chan…"

"HENGE! She's using henge no jutsu!"

"Where did you learn about that?" Shizune frowned. Although that wasn't what worried Tsunade. Minato and Kushina never let their boy go without some sort of visible or invisible guard, and the outcry made the anbu squad that was surrounding them freeze.

"Kid, shut up, or they'll get the wrong idea of this; if you act properly I'll treat you to ra-"

"Kidnappers!" he exclaimed.

"-men…"

Yes, now the anbu had popped up, with their previous confusion replaced by the determination to rescue their hero's son. But between the boy's action and the anbu's rude attempt at stopping her, Tsunade's short fuse had been lit. With a pained groan, Shizune watched her teacher bash the closest anbu away. The flying anbu was a signal for the others to call in reinforcements.

Naruto saw none of it. He had used the opportunity to slip away from Tsunade. Within minutes, he hopped on his favorite seat at his favorite eating establishment. "Two miso please, Ojisan!" he chirped happily, completely oblivious to the chaos which he had just created.

It wasn't long, as he had not even finished his first bowl, when a very annoyed woman came stamping towards him. "Namikaze Naruto, do you have any idea of what you-"

"Kaachan! I ordered miso ramen for you too!"

"Oh?"

While the mayhem continued in the background, mother and son were happily eating their ramen. Poor Shizune had made a rather huge error in her observations. It wasn't just Minato who was weak against Naruto, but Kushina… she was perhaps even worse.

Or was it the ramen that had swayed her so easily?

* * *

 _This omake was requested by_ _ **WindyCitySlayer1**_ _. I hope you liked it!_


	6. A meeting that changes everything

**Apophenia**

 **A Meeting that Changes Everything**

* * *

"Now, Naruto-kun, let us see that power of yours," the masked man chuckled.

"Lemme go! I wanna see my Kaa-chan!" Naruto twisted and turned, but not matter how hard he wriggled, the masked man did not budge an inch. His tiny body was powerless compared to the man's strength.

"Come on kid, don't be such a bore," the man grunted. Obviously, the red-haired man did not have much patience. Then again, if had possessed any of that, he would never have used such crude methods to snatch Naruto away from Konoha.

"Lemme go! Lemme go!" the boy sensed the ominous aura surrounding the man. Something was terribly wrong. Where was his father? Where was his mommy?!

"Shut up!" the man slapped Naruto against his cheek. "Show me the power of the Kyuubi."

"I want my Kaa-chan," Naruto wailed. "Kaaa-chan! Tou-chan! Tenten-neechan! Yugao-neechan!"

"Geez, this kid really is a super-wuss, isn't he?" the little girl frowned. Just like her 'Tou-san', she possessed red hair, a distinct color which was not often seen these days- although hers was more pinkish than the truly red hair of her father.

"Like you were any better, when I took you from your home," the man chuckled behind his solid white mask. Claiming to be blind, the man didn't even have holes in his mask, yet somehow he navigated perfectly through the village and the surrounding forest. But neither Naruto nor the girl would understand him if he were to explain this by saying that he was a sensor.

"I was never such a wimp," the girl scowled. "And I chose for that, remember? I've never been that weak!"

"Oh yes you were." The man lifted Naruto up, and started shaking him up and down. "Come on brat, what is taking you so long to get pissed at me, become mad enough to tap into that power." Naruto struggled, cried, shouted, and screamed, but he was powerless. And yet, he did not succumb. "You're still expecting your dad to arrive here, aren't ya?" the man began to laugh. "Look at that nifty little scroll, kid," he pointed. "Can you see it glow? It distorts any seal the Yondaime put on you, so why don't you give up those idle hopes? Show me the power of the Kyuubi, or I'm going to gut ya like a fish, you little fishcake."

The child was desperate and began crying louder and louder, until his voice stopped.

"You go and hide," the man lazily gestured to the girl. He dropped the child he had been holding up, and when the boy hit the ground, the man noticed it. He _saw_ it. Faster than most eyes could ever hope to follow, he lashed out. His fingers pressing against Naruto's stomach.

Even though the clothing hid it, the seal which held the Kyuubi trapped became visible. Naruto had snapped, and in his rage he had subconsciously tried to tap into the fox's power. It was a futile effort, considering how young and weak the child was: he could not even control the tiniest splinter of monster's massive chakra.

But the boy opening the door for even a millimeter was all the man needed for the sake of his mission.

* * *

"They took Naruto-chan!"

"Where is Tenten-chan?" Minato looked at his wife. He had arrived as quickly as possible, but still… who on earth could have snatched Naruto away in clear daylight? Why was the marker on Naruto not working? With that marker, Minato could use his Hiraishin no Jutsu to instantly travel to where Naruto was- but something was blocking the signal.

"I left her in Yugao's care, Inoichi vowed that he'll take Itachi to the hospital."

"Itachi? What happened-"

"He tried to save Naruto-chan! Itachi tried to stop him, but got hit rather hard," Kushina scowled. "From the looks of it he broke a few ribs. It happened so fast… it was a jonin at least, and a very skilled one at that. I don't know who he was, or from which village he came, but… But why are you here, why didn't you go to-"

"You have that connection to Naruto-chan. The marker doesn't work, and my anbu are in complete disarray. You are our best chance at finding Naruto," Minato urged.

For a moment, Kushina just looked at her husband, stunned. "West," she muttered. "Hold it. I am not letting you go out there on your own."

"Kushina-chan, you know you can't-"

"I can't fight, I know that," Kushina snapped, her hair flailing wildly. "But I sure as hell can locate our son better than you! So stop arguing, you carry me."

"Just like old times," Minato, despite everything, despite his worries, smiled weakly. He recalled the night he had carried a girl back to Konoha, a girl who later came to be the love of his life.

* * *

"Yo!"

"You!" the growl made the entire environment tremble. "You dare to show your face here?! Come closer so that I can kill you!"

"Tsk, tsk, that's no way to speak to your friend now, is it?" the masked man had appeared in Naruto's inner world.

"Friend?" the giant fox howled at the puny man in front of him. "You dare call yourself my friend? You promised me freedom!"

"Well, if it hadn't been for me, you probably would have spent all this time in some kind of damp sewer. I bet this environment is more pleasant to you. Less cramped," he waved around with his arms. While there were still massive prison bars between him and the creature, the inside of the 'prison' was everything but a damp sewer.

It mostly resembled a huge plain trapped between mountains. The fox was definitely gigantic when measured by human standards, but the trees of the forest on the left end of the valley were equally massive in size. With a calm river splitting the plain, the place seemed rather tranquil. While the mountains made sure the Kyuubi could not escape, only the huge bars that separated the fox from all those who entered Naruto's mindscape still gave the area a prison-feel.

"Ghmm, I do admit it is different from being chained and nailed to a cross," the Kyuubi grunted. "But this was not what we agreed! You promised that I could move in the outside world as well!"

"I had expected you to be a little smarter," the man sighed. "Seriously, how was I supposed to free a part of you while the kid was incapable of sustaining even the smallest amounts of your chakra? I told you that night that you'd have to be patient. Baka!"

The nine-tailed fox grit its teeth, but otherwise refrained from reacting to the taunt. Until it realized what the man just said. "Are you saying the kit can now sustain it?"

"What kind of trick did you pull on the child?" the man demanded. "I could see it: the brat somehow displaced small amounts of your chakra to his bones. I know that you are impatient, but if you have done anything to harm the boy I am going to make you pay. I will not keep my end of the agreement if you have already broken it!"

"Why are you so damn protective when it concerns the brat?" the fox scoffed. "You want him to be safe, and you want him to become capable of defending himself. Which of the two do you want?"

"Both, and you damn well know it. But if that is your answer, you leave me no choice but to-"

"HUMAN! What do you think I did, shortsighted fool?" the ground shook as a massive paw landed on it. The masked man, however, was not in the least worried. The bijuu would not be capable of harming him, not with these bars between them. And even if they weren't there, the man figured that the most powerful of the bijuu would still bow to his will.

After all, it wasn't like his interest in the creature was merely a random occurrence.

"I gave him the chance to improve himself," the fox growled. "The abilities which the old man passed on to his youngest kit did not just go to the clan which boasted to be his direct descendants. You know that the Senju and Uzumaki were related."

"So?" the man was scarcely interested. To him, the deal would be off the moment the Kyuubi hurt the boy. "What I saw was no mokuton, fox."

"Fool! Who do you think the old man was? The Rikudo Sennin was the one who taught you puny and ungrateful little rats how to manipulate chakra. He was the origin of all your hairless monkey's precious abilities. All your precious bloodlines are either derived from his blood, or created by him!"

"As far as I remember, the ability to manipulate one's skeleton was an ability that belonged to the Kaguya clan."

"Ugh, those wretched little pests have the same ability, yes. But what do you think about me? If I so wish, I could create new bones from my mere chakra. Sure, it would be easier using the existing bones, but I don't exactly need to."

"You can create bones from chakra alone?"

"Well, it isn't as simple as that. Sure, any bijuu can create a body from scratch, but that's a long and tedious process. To create bones quickly, all I need is some flesh or bone as base material, and I can expand it into any form I wish. Hah! How did you think I escaped the fools who attempted to seal me within them? I deconstructed their bodies, used their tissue as little more than a catalyst for my inevitable return. I could not be trapped! Until the first of your accursed Uzumaki kin sealed me, that is," the creature growled at the red haired man.

"So… did you give Naruto the shikotsumyaku kekkei genkai or not?" It could not be seen, due to the mask that he wore even in this realm, but it was audible in his voice that the man was frowning in mild confusion. Then again, he knew he would bear part of the responsibility. After all, he had affected the sealing, and one never knew the possible side effects of foreign chakra settling in a body like that. But he didn't have… well, now that he thought about it: he did know a thing or two which his chakra might have caused…

"Tsk, humans and their petty attachments to names. If that name makes you happy, then so be it. Like I said, that bloodline has likely been passed on to the kit, just like any other of the old man's bloodlines, even if the necessary genes were dormant until I changed a thing or two. I don't care about the details. You and that blond bastard want the kit to be strong, so I made him strong. He's still developing his chakra coils properly, so altering a few things here or there is as easy as gobbling up a herd of cows. But with control over his skeleton, he should have a strong enough defense to resist a hit or two, even from someone like you."

"So that is why you acted without even asking," the man nodded. "I see... Yes, it was the best path. Changing the boy physically at later stages would likely raise more problems. Though I fear that the boy might not like you for changing him, considering how it isn't exactly the best looking of abilities," he chuckled softly. "Then again, you two will probably have a rather chaotic bond anyway."

"I take it you are going to set me free?" the Kyuubi was impatient. Being imprisoned for most of this last century, he wanted to get out and stretch his legs.

"Only a part, only what he can sustain," the man warned. "So don't expect too much, Kurama."

"Don't you utter that name," the fox hissed. "I still haven't given you the right to do that."

"Nitpicker."

"Feeble meatbag."

A flash of fire, and the whole realm was engulfed in a bright light. Even the mightiest of the bijuu had to close his eyes, unable to endure the blinding brightness the man created on his exit. And then he felt a _pull_.

Kurama smirked, and happily accepted.

* * *

"FREEDOM! For the first time after all these wretched years within those filthy, hairless apes, I can move freely!" the mighty fox roared in laughter. "It is too bad I accepted that deal, or I would have burned that entire cursed village!"

"Eh, Kurama…"

"Instead, I will destroy all the other humans. Hah! I will make them pay for what they did to me and my kind! I will gobble them all up. I'll set those other seven weaklings free, and leave Shukaku locked in the most feeble meatbag I can find. Heh, I will never allow them to-"

"KURAMA!"

"Eh?" the fox tried to adjust to the bright midday skies, and as he blinked, he saw a pair of legs. Massive legs, clad in black trousers. Looking up, he saw the same white mask of the man who had freed him. How did he get this gigantic? How did… wait, the trees were enormous too. The brat, cheeks still covered with tears and his big blue eyes staring at him with confusion, was a giant. Even the red haired girl, who spied on him from behind the… It wasn't that they were all massive, it was that… No, that would be too cruel. That couldn't… but it was! "WHAAAAAT?!"

"Erm, I tried to warn ya, remember?" the masked man said cautiously. Or was it because he was stifling his laughter? Kurama couldn't tell with that annoying mask on the man's face. "I could only draw out a little… and your size kinda reflects the amount I could take out."

"You can't be serious! What is this mockery?"

"Yo, kid: meet Ku-chan," the man was now clearly laughing behind that mask of his.

" _Ku-chan?_ " the tiny fox screeched. "You wretched human, come here and I'll-"

"-nibble on my pinky toe?" the man fell down, unable to control himself any longer. Kurama wanted to throw himself at the meatbag, tear his throat apart in order to punish him for this insult. But instead, he lost contact with the ground, and flew upwards.

"Ku-chan?" little Naruto did not understand what was going on, but the entire atmosphere had changed the instant the tiny nine-tailed fox had popped up in an orange flash of light. Gone was the chilling sensation of fear and danger, as it was replaced by unbridled hilarity. Why had he even been afraid of the laughing man? Naruto didn't know. With the typical attention span of a four year-old, Naruto instead focused on the strange little talking animal, and it just looked so cuddly and cute, with its dense orange fur and those adorable little fluffy tails, that he couldn't resist himself.

The mighty Kyuubi, a creature able to crumble mountains with a mere swing of its tails, which could cause tsunamis with his mighty roar, was reduced to this… Oh, the shame, the embarrassment he felt; never in all of eternity would he forgive that man, being hugged like a little pet rabbit. Even his screams were inaudible due to the boy's hug.

This was the scene Minato and Kushina saw when the leapt down from the trees. Naruto, unharmed, holding a little fox cub which had nine little fluffy tails. And a man cloaked in white, with a blank mask, howling in laughter.

"Kaa-chan!" the little blond boy jumped towards his mum, after Minato had let her down. And Naruto dropped 'Ku-chan', which caused an indignant growl. While Minato would never say it out loud, Kushina had been easier to carry when they were both younger. But 'Konoha no Kiiroi Senko' or not, Minato knew better than to make such a remark.

The way Naruto ignored him in favor of Kushina was… Well, it made sense. After all, Naruto spent most time with his mother, while Minato was busy doing his duty as the Hokage. And the strange understanding which mother and son had was also something beyond him. Still, Minato was glad to see that his son was healthy, though obviously shaken.

"Yo!" the mask man put up his hand as a greeting. Minato frowned when he heard the voice, though. Between that and the red hair… but how could he have been here on this short notice?

"Jiraiya-sensei said that you were near Kiri," Minato sputtered. "How did you… Why did snatch Naruto away like that?"

"The kid needed to tap into 'Ku-chan's" chakra for me to succeed, so he needed to panic a bit," the masked man chuckled sheepishly.

"If you ever call me that again, I'm going to tear your organs out!" the tiny fox growled. The deep voice combined with his chibi-body only served to make the situation even more hilarious. "Now make me bigger, you human scum!"

"I told ya, bakafox, I can't! Naruto can't deal with a bigger strain. So, it's in your best interest to make the kid strong, understand?"

"This is extortion!"

"Like you're so innocent, Kyuubi," the man retorted. "Even when you're enraged you look so adorable!"

"…you mean to say that this little thing is _it?_ " Kushina was petting Naruto at the same as she was talking.

"Typical," the fox scoffed. "Just refer to me as a thing."

"You don't want to be called by your name either, Kurama," the masked man remarked. "So what else is she supposed to call you? Felix? Pochi? Bello?"

"I'm not a freaking dog, you lowlife!"

"Well, I like Ku-chan better, what do you think, kiddo?"

Curiously, the blond boy looked up to the red-haired man. While half-hidden behind his mother, the boy drew some courage from her presence, and his father's. His father was the strongest shinobi in the world, so he was safe now, wasn't he? "K-ku-chan is better than Pochi."

"Ugh, bothersome humans. Just wait until I have my usual size. And you'll be the first one I'll eat," he growled at the masked man.

"Cannibalism is wrong, you know," was the snickered answer he got in return.

"Ignoring how incredibly crazy this situation is, what are you doing here?" Minato spoke up again.

"You think I'd leave a seal without having a way to keep informed? We struck a deal with Ku-chan, and I intended to keep it. You two just hold on to your end of the deal, and make sure the kid grows strong. From what I gather, Ku-chan did quite-"

"STOP CALLING ME THAT, YOU INSOLENT MEATBAG!"

"-Ku-chan did quite a good job when it comes to getting the boy stronger," the masked man continued, ignoring the enraged little fox. "Naruto-chan will need some good training at controlling that power."

"Kaa-chan, why is the mean masked man acting so nice all of a sudden?" the blue-eyed boy looked up to his mum for answers. He was really lost now, what the hell was going on?

"Oi, Yuya-chan, you still too stubborn to stay here?" the man ignored the confused child in favor of the little redhead behind them.

"Like hell I'm getting left behind," the girl protested. "I'm going. You promised me!"

"I did, so calm down. Well then, it was a pleasure as always," he bowed to the family. "Till next time, Yondaime-sama, Kushina-sama."

"You of all people should know better than to continue with these formalities," Kushina scowled. "But don't stay away for too long this time. We… Family is meant to stay together. And if I may ask, is she… I mean, you… in these years, did you…"

"Nope, she's not mine, not by blood at least. Although in every other aspect of the word I do consider her my daughter. And she's no full-blood Uzumaki either. I suspect a quarter," the man shrugged. "But that doesn't matter to me. Whether as imoto or musume, I promised to take care of her, right?"

"Right," the girl nodded. Minato had to laugh when he saw the fierce look on the girl's face. She definitely looked a lot like Kushina, even though her hair was a few shades lighter.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay for dinner?" Kushina tried. "I can always make some ramen."

"Neh, after the ruckus I created it would probably be best if… did you say ramen?"

"Is every Uzumaki the same?" Minato groaned. "I'll notify Kakashi that the situation is solved. Fugaku won't be happy hearing that his son was-"

"Oh right, the kid whom I gave that little punching present," the man chuckled. "He'll be fine in a few days. Not like how he was before, but he'll do just fine. I'll check up on him in return for the ramen."

"You know… I really should make a law on not randomly putting seals on people."

"You'd be the first one arrested, with the markers of your Hiraishin everywhere. You hungry, Yuya-chan?"

"Ramen!" both kids chorused.

"And perhaps I should catch a mouse as well. It would make a fine meal for Ku-chan..." The Kyuubi wasn't sure whether he should be thankful that he could finally set foot in the outside world, or if he should regret this. Though a separate body, the giant fox within Naruto was still in control over the little body. The dissimilarity in size was a bit nauseating, but being made fun of was far and far worse. He'd really want to throw a tantrum, but knowing that it would only embarrass him even further, he controlled himself. Until the remark on the mouse reached his tiny ears.

Still in disbelief, Minato and Kushina shared a glance of confusion, not comprehending how the bijuu got out, or why it was so tiny, and worst of all: why the man was taunting the fox like this. The kids didn't worry about it, though. They laughed, and tried to get to the tiny fox, before said fox would succeed in biting the masked man's ankles.

* * *

"How do you even eat?!"

"Yeah, while keeping that mask on, it's… freaky," Tenten agreed with her blond friend and sort-of-brother. Seriously, this had been an extremely weird day. First that party where she had felt completely out of place, and then the same man who was dining with them had literally crashed the party. Why on earth was the man even here? She could see Naruto was equally confused. But where she remained a bit suspicious of everyone, especially after her run-in with Kurosawa, Naruto seemed to trust everyone if his parents gave the thumbs-up.

That said, why would the Hokage himself talk so familiarly with the man who had just kidnapped his son? "Are you… family?"

"We've got red hair, don't we?" there was Tenten's problem number two. An overly direct, and utterly tactless, red-haired girl of about her age. Though, the girl seemed a bit short in comparison to her behavior, so Tenten suspected she could be a year older than she was. Point is, this be-hatted little girl showed absolutely no respect to anyone here.

"Yuya-chan, behave yourself," even the masked man noted it. "This is the household of the Yondaime Hokage, remember?"

"Yeah, like I'd listen to the idiot who kidnapped the man's son," the girl retorted. "If anyone doesn't know respect it would be you, Tou-san!"

"Behave, or no ramen," the man shrugged. "For you, at least. I'd just make you watch me eat ramen again."

"Yeah, yeah, Tou-san."

"One 'yeah' would suffice, Yuya-chan..."

For some reasons beyond Tenten's understanding, both Minato and Kushina were very amused by the exchange. That said, it was fairly commonly known that the Uzumaki clan had been rather… well, chaotic would be a good word to describe them. While geniuses at fuinjutsu, the clan had never been as warlike as all the others. Instead, the Uzumaki had isolated themselves on their own island, fortifying their positions with an insurmountable defense of barriers and seals, living in peace and prosperity. Unlike all the other clans, who had survived as little more than mercenary bands, the Uzumaki never had been forced to adopt a militaristic society. The rigid order and absolute authority which other shinobi had come to accept as 'normal', had been largely ignored by the Uzumaki. They didn't care about formalities.

And considering the behavior of these four Uzumaki, this was something hereditary, as if even their genetic code had been written according to their old ways of life. But unlike her elders, Tenten did not know any of this. She was raised in an environment where not paying attention to formalities resulted in punishment, so a situation like this was rather alien to her.

"A trait of the Uzumaki clan is our red hair, Tenten-chan," Kushina explained. "And while our clan was destroyed, there are still some survivors."

"Why don't you have a name?" Tenten glared at the masked man, not very convinced he was actually good. She had seen him smash away Naruto's anbu guard like the Uchiha boy had meant nothing…

"Neh, names don't really matter," the man shook his head in denial. Well, he shook his mask, Tenten considered. "But believe me that you could've seen men who are a lot worse than me who wear masks."

"…you can say that again," Kushina muttered.

"Oeh! Oeh! I know, I know," Naruto suddenly bounced with enthusiasm. "You're the mister who saved Tou-chan and Kaa-chan! And me!"

"Well, there was a certain fox trashing around at the time, and he was a bit hard to ignore. But yes, I'm the same guy. And I'm glad I was there, just in time to save my… my clan members," the masked man nodded. "Gheh, I'm still in a state of disbelief- to find family amidst that chaos."

"But… why do you wear a mask? Only the evil man wore a mask, right?"

The man started to laugh when he saw Naruto's pout. "Oh yes, he definitely wore a mask. But that doesn't mean that all people with masks are evil, right? Take for instance your lovely Neko-chan over there," he pointed at Yugao, who had thought she had hidden herself quite well, but apparently not. "Is she evil, Naruto?"

"Yugao-neechan isn't evil!" Naruto exclaimed in the typical childish how-dare-you-suggest-such-a-thing tone.

The masked man tapped at his mask, focusing the boy's attention on the object again. "I'm wearing this thing because I lost my eyes, kiddo."

"Eh? B-but you-"

"It doesn't mean he is blind, Naruto-chan," Minato ruffled with a hand through Naruto's spiky hair. "He is an exceptional sensor, so he can see even without eyes."

"Really?" Naruto was definitely awed. But the man, in spite of the boy disbelief, nodded. "Wow, that's so cool!" Naruto didn't know what 'sensor' meant, but seeing without eyes sounded cool enough. In his ramen-obsessed mind, it reminded him of Shio or Shoyu, flavor types of ramen, so it couldn't be bad!

"I'd rather still have my eyes," the man remarked dryly. "So, I'd suggest you kids listen well to your parents, and train hard. If you don't, you'd end up like me. And no pair of goggles in the world is going to help you if you lost your eyes!"

* * *

"You're just staying for the night to annoy me, aren't you?" The little fox was lazing around in the garden, while the masked man sat down near him. "This must be hilarious to you… but don't think I'll ever forget this."

The man took off his mask, and sighed. "I told ya, Kurama: this is the best I could do. Seriously, I thought you'd have to wait until the boy would turn six. You're lucky he developed his chakra coils so early."

Without the mask on him, Kurama got a better view of the man. "You haven't improved since I last saw you."

"I guess," the man mumbled, agreeing with the understatement. His face was littered with black scars, and his eyes… or where his eyes should have been. There were only empty sockets, not eyes. "I wasted quite a bit of power, the Sanbi certainly didn't make things easier for me."

"Isobu certainly doesn't like being hunted," Kurama chuckled. "I take it he has already driven his jinchuriki nuts?"

"Only the flesh of Yagura is left, but his mind is broken," the scarred man said sadly. "In spite of his noble intentions, I think Isobu managed to overwhelm him. Isobu gave Yagura the illusion that they were cooperating, and then took him down when he saw his chance. The annoying part is that I can't seal him away while he is still hiding in his jinchuriki. But the things he's doing in Kiri…"

"Like I said, he doesn't like being hunted."

"He uses Yagura to target every bloodline within Mizu no Kuni!"

"No," Kurama sighed. "He is removing every potential threat to himself. In spite of his size, Isobu has always been insecure. Why do you thing he's hiding in that shell of his? And like all of us, he prefers to be left alone. If you ask me, those humans asked for it… they keep pushing us, but never consider how we feel."

The man nodded, and remained silent for a while, just enjoying the quiet evening. The kids were asleep, Kushina was resting on the couch, and Minato and Yugao were doing the dishes. For a moment, the man felt at peace. As things were now, he was almost tempted to stay longer, rather than to go back to Kirigakure. But he couldn't let the people of Mizu suffer under the tyranny of 'Yagura'. He had to go back, gather reinforcements, and try again when he was fully recovered. But for now, he just wanted to forget about all those tiresome things.

"Train the boy well, Kurama," he eventually broke the silence. "You know as well as I do that it was not the real Madara, that night."

The Kyuubi huffed in response, but couldn't really deny it either. Sure, if the man had really been crippled after the battle against Hashirama, the Shodaime Hokage, then the level of power could have been right. But the eyes… they hadn't been the right eyes.

"You're still thinking it was him who targeted Uzushio?"

"Yeah. Just think about it, he's known for manipulating bijuu, so who would he target first? The sealmasters of Uzushiogakure would have been the greatest threat to his schemes. You can bet that I'm sure it was him. Soon, it will be five years ago since that night… Tell me, Kyuubi, do you think that masked Uchiha randomly targeted you?"

"Humans don't last that long," Kurama hesitated. "He's dead."

"Yeah, but what legacy did he leave behind?"

"Don't you think it is wise to tell them about it?"

"The Yondaime and Kushina? I'll tell them when it is the right time. They already have enough suspicions. Hell, even the old man and the perverted sage keep bugging me whenever I'm near. No, I'll wait. I'll tell them when all the pieces are in place, or when the situation becomes too threatening," the man mused. "To tell you the truth, I'm not sure I can entirely trust this village."

"There are plenty of vile humans here, yes," Kurama agreed. "I can weed them out, it would be my pleasure."

"You'd love to kill a few people, I know," the man laughed gently. "But don't let yourself be controlled by your grudges and hatred, it is wrong. Besides, it would affect the child too. No, I'll deal with that issue in due time. I've always been curious as to why Konoha never came to the aid of Uzushio..."

"Just say the word, and I'll gobble them all up."

"You've certainly become a lot more cheerful after the hump of raw meat Kushina gave you," the man's scarred face contorted in a grin. With his empty eye sockets and multitude of scars, it was one of the scariest human expressions Kurama had ever seen.

"After all those years… you don't know how great it felt to actually eat something real again," the fox muttered contently.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

* * *

So, is the mysterious man mysterious enough for you, or should I mysteriously increase his mysteriousity?

He won't be a main character, though he'll pop up once in a while. He didn't tell his name, as this is a special case. He got quite some injuries in a certain incident, especially to his head. His powers are a bit irregular, as a result. As are his memories. But in spite of this chapter, Naruto is and will remain the main character! Tenten will be the most prominent secondary character, although I'm not saying that I'm going for the NaruTen pairing, not when they're growing up as siblings, that would just be… weird. And Minato and Kushina serve as a point of view for the more 'grown up' matters of their world, such as the clans, politics, war, armed conflict, etc. Naruto and Tenten are kids, after all.

Regarding the Japanese in this chapter: Imoto means 'little sister' and Musume means 'daughter'. The masked man regards little 'yuya' as his daughter.

Make me and my beta **Illuminated** happy, and leave a **review**!

* * *

-Z-

* * *

 **Additional information:**

For those who didn't think that Kurama's explanation on the matter was enough, here is some additional clarification on the assumptions I made regarding the Shikotsumyaku (Dead Bone Pulse) bloodline. Basically, I assumed that all the physical ability (including kekkei genkai) which Hagoromo possessed, either dormant within his genes or not, were passed on to Ashura, whereas the doujutsu and spiritual energy part was passed on to Indra. Ashura passed these genes on to his children. We know the Senju are descendants of Ashura, and that the Uzumaki were related to the Senju. We also know that the Shikotsumyaku is derived from the 'Tomogoroshi no Haikotsu' (all-killing ash bones) which was an ability of Kaguya herself. With the descendants of Hamura and Indra possessing other abilities (Byakugan and Sharingan), then where did I have to place the Kaguya clan? My answer was that this clan was related to Ashura just like the Senju and Uzumaki.

Mind you, I am not that well versed in genetics (at all), so please don't attempt kill me if I'm wrong. Well, not that it really matters, considering how Kishimoto invented those 'plug and play' eyeballs for the Uchiha…

But I assumed that Naruto, somewhere deep down in his genetic code, still possessed the potential for the shikotsumyaku, something which the Kyuubi brought to the surface again. After all, we know that bijuu are capable of altering the abilities and appearances of their hosts, so I just thought: 'why not?' Though, what sparked this train of thought was seeing how Kurama formed a skeleton during Naruto's battle against Pein, just as he could create his own flesh (on the 8th tail). Naturally, bones are easier to weaponize than flesh.

Anyway, with no Kaguya around to teach him, Naruto is going to learn it Kurama-style!


	7. Lucky7

**Apophenia**

 **Lucky7**

* * *

"You did _what_ to her?" a light blonde woman screeched. "Hisen-sama, you can't be… This isn't true!"

"Not our daughter," the red haired man on her side groaned. His dark eyes squeezed shut in a futile attempt to hold back his tears. Although in this hospital room, none would have blamed him for breaking down.

Hisen looked at the married couple. His short, smooth, hair was greying all on the outside with just the hair on the top of his head still having its original bright brown color. He wore a black Takigakure hitai-ate around his forehead and his hair hanging over the left and right sides of it. He also had small black-colored eyes and a small brown goatee. Hisen was no ordinary shinobi, however. He was the head of the 'village hidden by a waterfall': Takigakure.

"You know why it had to happen." It pained Hisen, but this had been the best option. He honestly could not say whether it was fortunate or unfortunate that his own son Shibuki had proven to be incompatible. His honor demanded of Hisen to first sacrifice his own, before sacrificing the children of others; but it had turned out to be unavoidable.

"But… three years ago," the balding father sputtered. "This wasn't supposed to happen!"

"Like all children born to loyal families of Takigakure, your daughter was tested to see if she would be compatible," Hisen sighed. "I am sorry, but with her predecessor failing to contain the monster, we had no other option. We had to act quickly. Aoi, you left your brother to watch over her while you two went to Hi no Kuni, he was her legal representative at the moment."

"And he agreed," the mother, the aforementioned Aoi, wailed. "That stupid drunk agreed... Our daughter! My baby!"

"She survived," Hisen frowned. "She may have been in a coma for the past few days, but it takes time for someone to adjust to such a-"

"You want to tell us that this… this thing," Aoi pointed furiously at the sleeping girl, "was my daughter?"

Indeed, the daughter of the Harada family had undergone some changes. Her light blonde hair had changed to mint green, and it could be seen when her eyes fluttered as she slept in the hospital bed that her blue eyes seemed to have changed to a bright orange color. But Hisen knew this was not the change that bothered the parents most. "This is still Harada Fu, even though she received the heavy duty of becoming Takigakure's jinchuriki," he grunted.

"That thing is not our daughter," Aoi repeated harshly. "Our daughter… Our daughter died the moment you put that demon in her. You can see how that thing took over her body. Her soul has passed on, and that demon only controls her body! That is not a Harada. That is not my little Fu!"

"Surely, you don't intend to cast her out-"

"The moment you made her a jinchuriki, that child seized to be a Harada," the balding man agreed with his wife. "We will mourn our loss, Hisen-sama. But I am afraid this sacrifice… it is too much. Too cruel."

"I ask you to reconsider," Hisen urged. "When she wakes up, you will see that Fu is still-"

"We will see nothing," Aoi cut him off. "We shall return to Ta no Kuni, and continue building up the trade line for the sake of Takigakure. I cannot… I will not… remain in a village that murdered our daughter."

The pair stomped away before the shocked Hisen could say another thing. Yes, he had expected that the parents of this little girl would be distraught by the chain of events. But the jinchuriki had suddenly lost control. The bijuu, the Nanabi, had nearly broken free. The young man who was the previous jinchuriki had always seemed troubled. He had been sickly, as if the chakra was poisoning his body. But the sudden deterioration of the seal had caught Hisen completely by surprise.

In a matter of hours after the young man had collapsed, the council of Takigakure had made its decision. A replacement had to be found, immediately, and the bijuu had to be transferred before the unconscious man died and they lost control over the Nanabi. While everyone hated and neglected the jinchuriki, and a large part of the population would even rather see a jinchuriki dead than alive, the council was also well aware of the value a jinchuriki could have. As a weapon of last resort, a jinchuriki could be a powerful weapon, capable of wiping out entire armies if spurred to lose control at the right moment. And in the unlikely chance that a jinchuriki gained some measure of control over the demon's chakra, it would create an extremely powerful shinobi as well.

' _Short-sighted fools,_ ' Hisen scowled. ' _Whatever was sealed within the girl, she is still the same person. I cannot let her retain her family name, if her parents are against it, but she will remain Fu. Fu of Takigakure. She'll be one of my finest soldiers if she grows up and is able to endure the monster's chakra.'_

A cold and logical part of his mind told Hisen that the decision of Aoi and her husband wasn't even that bad. With no one else in his way, Hisen could ensure that Fu would feel absolute loyalty towards him. ' _Well, I can't take her in, either. I can't put her too close to Shibuki. He is only twelve, and would not understand. But I will be the one who provides her with money, and makes sure she remains well-fed and clothed. Yes, that should be enough. Though, I think it works better if she first knows some despair. She'd see me as her savior once I approach her.'_

* * *

This morning had been weird. Extremely weird. Since the moment Fu had woken up, people had treated her oddly. The nurses had barely said a word, glaring at her, just like her mother had done when she had fallen into the mud that one day: as if she was filthy and smelly. No, today was worse than how Aoi had looked that day.

When the doctor had come to her, he had talked to her with an expression which she couldn't describe as anything but outright disgust. But why? What did she do? Why was she even in the hospital in the first place? Fu didn't know. It saddened her. The last thing she remembered was that an important-looking, mostly gray-haired man had talked to her. It was about a duty only she could do. Fu wasn't sure if the man had told the truth, though. The way people looked at her now… was this because of her so-called honorable duty? She definitely remembered the gray-haired man saying that it was honorable.

She had left the gigantic-seeming hospital building. Now the five-year old girl hurried through the village, frightened and unsure. Truthfully, Takigakure was not particularly big, and neither were the buildings, which made the hospital seem all the more terrifying to her. The only thing that was truly huge was the giant tree in the center of the village. In addition, considering how the village wasn't that big, people tended to know each other reasonably well, and Fu had never had any issues. Her parents were well-respected traders, not particularly influential as they were not shinobi, but they were not part of the 'common rabble' either. Her father had owned nothing, not even a name, and had no remarkable past. But her mother was related to one of the founders of Taki, one who was killed by a thief who stole one of Taki's greatest secrets. So they had carried some respect, the respect befitting the Harada name, and yet, for some reason, all the people that Fu now encountered looked at her like she was filthy. What was wrong? What had she done? Had she failed in the unspecified duty that was given to her? She ran past a shop, and a glance from the corner of her eyes made her stop.

"What is… i-is that _me_?" she exclaimed, looking into the mirror. Orange eyes were staring at her, and her hair… it was mint green! The little girl barely recognized herself. She still had the same shape, and the dark-ish tone of her skin was also still the same, but her eyes and hair… Only the fact that her mirror image made the exact same moves as she did had convinced the girl that her reflection was truly _her_. But she had been standing still for too long; the shopkeeper had already come out, angrily glaring at her. Terrified, especially because she did not understand, Fu ran.

Horrified, Fu realized something her mother once told her. They had seen a skinny-looking boy, several years older than Fu herself, who had the same kind of mint-green hair. Fu had asked her mother why the boy looked so lonely, so sad. The only thing Aoi that had been willing to tell her daughter was that Fu was to stay away from the boy, because that 'thing' had been merely a human-shaped demon. ' _Am I a demon too? Is this… is this some kind of sickness? I don't feel hot at all. Nor am I sweaty, like when I'm ill.'_

She ran and ran, as fast as her little legs could carry her, until she reached familiar territory- home. "Oji-san! Oji-san!" she yelled, as her little fists bonked on the front door. She could hear voices. Male voices, and at least one female too. Had her parents come home? Fu knew they had been on that short trip for their trading business, leaving her uncle, who loved sake just a little too much to be a productive member of society, as her guardian. To little Fu it wasn't even that odd that he hadn't been there for her when she had left (been thrown out of) the hospital. He usually gave her some badly-cooked meals or took her to cheap restaurants, and kept her fed. Otherwise, he barely looked after her.

That is, unless she made too much noise in the morning. Fu was really scared of her uncle at those times. If she woke him up, he would shout at her, sometimes even throw bottles at her or try to hit her. Strangely, his movements were always very erratic when that occurred. Her mother always said that it was because of that dirty-tasting sake stuff. Fu hated sake.

"Ojisan!" she repeated over and over again. The voices had silenced, and eventually she heard someone walking towards the door. The little girl didn't even notice that her senses seemed more accurate than usual. No, she was too distraught to notice the changes.

"What's that fuckin' ruckus," a man threw open the door, nearly knocking Fu out. He was tall, taller than her parents, and the same kind of long and light blond hair as his elder sister Aoi. Only, this man was untended. Shabby, to say the least. He didn't spend what little money he earned on his looks; no, he spent it on sake, and more sake. Also, the money he didn't earn would go to the same beverage.

"Oji-san! It's me. Fu! Something weird happened, and I-"

"Fuck off, yer not my niece, ya filthy demon," the man said with a disgust which left the little girl speechless.

"Bu… but…"

"Scram! I don' want to see yer kind here."

Tears welled up in her now orange-colored eyes. "Oji-san… why?" she begged. "Why?"

"Get lost, before I beat the crap out of ya. And don't show yerself here ever again, ya hear?" he shouted at the girl. Her uncle closed the door so much force that Fu though it would be broken.

' _What just happened? Why did he… Why did my uncle say those things?'_ Fu could hear someone crying indoor. A woman. Her mother? It sounded like her mother. But if her mother had been home, why had her uncle opened the door? Why had he treated her like that? Little did she know, that her uncle had made quite a good deal by turning her over to Hisen. He'd be able to get drunk for many nights, while she would be all alone and abandoned.

While it was not a busy street, the scene had drawn some attention. Neighbors, people passing through, kids playing on the nearby field… all stood there, glaring at the girl. Now that the door was shut, Fu felt scared. Why? Why did they give her such a cold look? Even the friendly old woman next door who had given Fu freshly baked cookies the day before she had been summoned for that strange duty. She had smiled at Fu, laughed with the little girl! Why was she staring like that now?

' _Why?'_

Fu couldn't see who started it. But among the little crowd, someone had started it: picking up a pebble, throwing it at her. The girl cried out when the pebble hit her on the shoulder. "Why?!" she sobbed.

"Get out of here!"

"Murderer!"

"Demon!"

"Kill her!"

"Kill the demon!"

"That thing murdered my cousin!"

"Death to the demons!"

She ran. Sticks and stones… they hurt. They hurt so much. But the words of the people she thought she had known, those words had hurt her far more. Why did they do this? She kept running. It must be a misunderstanding. She had to get back to the hospital. She had to get her hair back to normal. She didn't want these orange eyes. She wanted to go home!

"Why," he heartbroken cry resounded, as she kept running. No matter how badly she hurt, she had to keep moving. She had to go the hospital, where they would help her. They would return her to normal, right?

* * *

Shivering, curled up in a small hole of an old wall, the mint-haired girl lay. Shivering because it was cold and dark, somewhere deep in the night, but also shivering because of the fear and frustration she felt. The hospital… she had barely entered the building before one of the nurses had walked up to her, grabbed her by the arm, and dragged her out. The woman had stated that people like Fu didn't belong there. And no matter how the girl had begged and cried, the woman had not allowed her to go in.

"There is nothing that can help you now," the woman had told her. "You're on your own. Scram."

Why did everyone suddenly hate her? Why was she chased away? Why would people call her names, or even attack her? Little Fu did not know what to think anymore. She just cried. She wanted her mommy, her daddy. She wanted to wake up from this horrible nightmare. She cried bitter tears, until she felt like she had no more tears to shed. Trembling, the girl wanted to scream out, but her voice was gone. After all the crying, her throat hurt so much that, even though she opened her mouth, she could not make a sound anymore. She was too tired to even try it- too tired to keep crying.

So, she fell asleep. Miserable as she felt, sleep might be a refuge. But it wasn't; it was a sleep filled with nightmares. It was a sleep darkened by the terrors of this day, her first day as a jinchuriki. Now she was Fu the monster, Fu the demon, Fu the murderer. All the things people had called her… they all haunted her in her dreams. Until suddenly everything changed.

* * *

Chomei, the humongous, blue-armored kabutomushi (rhinoceros beetle), looked down in surprise. Within this damp space of room which mostly resembled a giant cave, a little girl lay on the ground. The human was still in her larval stage, if he saw it right. Human physiology was so confusing at times, as they always looked the same. Only parts, like breasts or genitals, really changed over time. But otherwise, humans all looked the same to the giant seven-tailed creature.

In the middle of the cave-ish area was one giant pillar. It was so big that even Chomei could not see the top of it. And he knew there would likely not be an end. Not that it mattered. Chomei had seven 'tails', of which six resembled insect wings, while the seventh was an actual tail. They all sprouted from the same place, at the end of his abdomen, and that was where the chains were connected. Chomei couldn't fly… humans were so cruel. It made him angry. Very angry.

Yet, somehow, he still pitied the little larva which had been rolled up in a ball, shivering and crying, seemingly unaware of where she had ended up. While humans were always tiny compared to the mighty bijuu, this specimen seemed exceedingly small. Yet, the larva had the same kind of mint-green hair his hosts usually had, the same color as the stems of his six wing-like tails. The wings themselves were orange, a color which usually repeated itself in the color of his jinchurikis' eyes.

Underneath the helmet-like skull, Chomei narrowed his eyes. They glowed with an orange light, and were rather sensitive. In fact, that was why Chomei liked his 'helmet'. Apart from his uncanny smell for pheromones, his other senses were a bit unremarkable. Well, his night-vision was good. Like most beetles, Chomei had two big shiny eyes, which were actually 'compound eyes', meaning that they were made out of many smaller parts.

Then again, Chomei was not known for his sight. Sure, like other beetles, he could see ultraviolet light, making his sense of sight completely different from the humans he had been sealed within, but most of the time Chomei just relied on his sense of smell. It was not that Chomei had a nose, no, he used his antennae to smell things. The entire concept of a 'nose' had always seemed weird to him. As exemplified by the sniveling child below, it just seemed so inefficient to rely on your sense of smell with such a slimy appendage.

"Hrmpf. Larva, why are you here? Larvae like you aren't supposed to get in here on your own."

To his annoyance, the child seemed to ignore him. So he bent forward, as much as those accursed chains would allow him, and extended one of his six legs. However, as his entire body was covered in a blue armor-like exoskeleton, Chomei knew he had to be careful, extremely careful. Those fleshy humans were always so fragile that even a little poke often resulted in injuries.

Predictably, the little girl screamed when Chomei gave her the softest and gentlest nudge he could muster. It was typical, for a human. The previous boy had reacted the same way, the first time Chomei had seen him. Crying out in fear, and trying to run away, the boy had made a rather bad first impression. Chomei considered it rather rude. He was a king among beetles, and his wings were a wonder of nature. Why were humans always so scared of him? Of course, that first response of the boy had been the least of his worries. The boy had blamed Chomei for the way he was treated by the other humans. It was a rather poor bond, so Chomei had tried to break free. Breaking the chains had become rather easy, as they had become rather brittle after some time had passed.

But then all had gone dark, and now this little girl was here, his new host. Her orange eyes stared at him with fear and confusion, making Chomei sigh wearily. It seemed like things would repeat themselves yet again. ' _And the larva will run in three… two… one… go!'_ he mused. ' _Eh? She still hasn't moved? Curious.'_

"I asked you a question, you know," Chomei tried. Perhaps this human would not be as bad as they usually were? It sparked a bit of curiosity in the giant insect-like 'demon'. He was not one to hold grudges, much unlike Kurama, nor wild like Gyuki, nor insane like Shukaku, nor stubborn like Son Goku. In fact, now that Chomei thought about it, he was pretty much the only one who was even a bit tolerant of humans. "Yo!"

The exclamation seemed to wake the girl from her stupor. "H-h-hello," she stood up and bowed hastily. "Wha… Who are you? Where am I?"

' _What? Manners? From a human? In front of me?'_ Chomei began to laugh. "What a strange little larva you are!"

"Larva?" the tiny girl didn't understand that he meant her, and she looked around. Probably afraid of the idea that were would be grubs swarming around him, Chomei amused himself with the thought of scaring her by making it reality. Then again, she reacted differently from the previous hosts.

"Yes, you. You're a human larva, right? A child-like human, before you're a pupa and change into an adult," Chomei snickered when he saw the girl's reaction. Apparently the idea of being a larva wasn't very appealing to her. And changing into a pupa even less.

"F-Fu. Fu!" the girl sputtered. "I'm not a larva!"

"Well then, Fufu, what are you doing here?" Chomei tilted his head a little, making the horned protrusion on top of his head tap against the protrusions on his shoulders.

"N-not Fufu," the girl protested. Had she forgotten where she was? Who she was talking to? Apparently him having said her name wrong made her forget about that sort of thing. "I'm Fu!"

"Fu, Fufu, what's the difference. Fufu sounds cuter."

"What? Ehm… but I'm Fu. Seriously. You know, my name is like the word 'seal'," she said with some pride.

"Yeah… that is kinda problematic," Chomei said dryly. "I tend to dislike seals. So why don't I just call you 'Fufu'."

"I'm not Fufu," Fu huffed. "Fu also means 'wind'."

"Hmm. That sounds more appealing. Though by wind, you don't mean a fart, right?"

"F-fart? What?!"

"I hate farts. They smell bad," the bijuu grumbled. "I am very sensitive, so don't you ever fart in front of me."

The girl looked at him as if he was a complete idiot. Which he sorta was, even Chomei had to admit. He never really gave things as much thought as others of his kin. Isobu could spend entire days filled with nothing but thinking and pondering. Chomei found that rather boring. He loved to just aimlessly frolic around. Sadly, that was also why he had been caught so easily by these little fleshy humans.

"A lady never farts," Fu huffed. "But if you don't like 'seal' or 'wind', my name also means 'style'. That's not something you can make fun of, can you?" she dared the giant in front of her with a childish bravado that made Chomei laugh out so loudly that the floor shook. The girl toppled over, splashing in the stale waters that covered the floor of the cave.

"You're certainly a funny larva, Fu," Chomei chuckled. "I'm Chomei." No other human had been like this one, so why not share his true name?

"Ah… yes. Hi, Chomei," Fu stood up, patted her now wet bottom as if she wanted to clean the muddy white dress she was wearing, and bowed like how her mother had taught her to politely greet strangers. "Um... If you don't mind… w-what are you?" she added shyly, knowing that her question would most likely be rude.

"I'm what you humans call a bijuu. I was sealed inside you a few days ago, remember?"

"Eh? A few days… is this what that gray-haired man meant by 'duty'?"

"Most likely," Chomei grunted. "Humans tend to dislike me for some reason, even though your kind is eager to abuse my chakra."

"Why?"

"I think you have to go through your pupa stage before you're able to understand that. To be honest, I'm surprised you don't hate me already."

"Hate you? Why? You are strange, but I don't hate you," Fu flapped out. Her mother always scolded her for that, telling her that she needed to know restraint, to not jump to conclusions all of the time. Fortunately, those were not things Chomei appreciated either. He preferred honesty. And it wasn't like she could lie to him, he'd smell her pheromones even before she uttered a single word of deceit!

"I smell. But I warn you… other humans will probably treat you badly because I'm sealed within you," Chomei admitted. If this girl was as friendly as she seemed, he considered that warning her was the least he could do. And who knew, perhaps she wouldn't blame him, unlike all the others had inevitably done!

"So that is why," the girl slumped down. "But why," she began to cry again. "Why did they treat me like that? Why didn't Oji-san want to see me again? Why didn't Okaa-san show up at the door?"

Breaking down in tears. Now that was a new one to Chomei. None of the jinchuriki had ever fessed up their feelings like that to him. Then again, they were usually not this tiny as a larva, so perhaps it was due to her age? The happy-go-lucky bijuu was rather clueless with regard to how he had to act. Part of him wanted to cheer the girl up, but the other warned him that he shouldn't get to close. She was just a little larva now, but once she grew up she'd probably hate him like all the others. Right?

But Chomei was Chomei, so the consequences could be damned. Chomei lived in the present, not the past or the future!

"Don't worry too much, little one," he said kindly. "Sleep. Sleep, and I'll help you tomorrow. Together, we won't need anyone else. I'll make you strong enough so that no one can hurt you again," he opened his mouth filled with razor-sharp teeth, and exhaled a sparkling substance. Even in the midst of her despair, little five-year old Fu stared at the brightly shining sparkles, and then she fell asleep.

Chomei sent a little of his chakra to her, making sure she would remain warm throughout the night, and then sent her out of this inner world. Apart from lulling her to sleep with his dust, Chomei could do little more right now. The girl was young, very young. Much younger than the previous jinchuriki who had entered this realm. It puzzled him that a child her age could do it. She must've been really desperate that she could sink away in her own mind like this.

Regardless, Chomei felt a little happiness, because this little girl was more promising than any of her predecessors. As long as the humans kept sealing him, Chomei wouldn't be free, he knew that. So being sealed within someone that he liked was the second-best thing. He just hoped that she would still like him once she found out how everyone would abandon her.

Usually, his jinchuriki was cast away by their families and friends, and treated like a monster. They were weapons, made for the sake of the village. It saddened Chomei, now that he thought about it, that this weird little Fufu would be treated like that, that people would look at her and see him.

Disgusting humans…

* * *

The same thought crossed the mind of one of Chomei's brothers, that very same night. Held in a choking grip, chibi-Kurama could not move an inch. The sleeping little blond brat that was his jinchuriki held him close. Being dragged along when the boy went to bed had been humiliating enough for the mighty Kyuubi, but being strangled by a child barely more than a toddler was even worse.

Disgusting humans…

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

* * *

Poor little Fu…

I wrote this chapter while thinking how it would be for her when the world around her suddenly changed, as a result of becoming a jinchuriki. After all, in the manga it was stated that Takigakure hated Fu, and abruptly abandoned her and let her be killed, rather than defend her against Akatsuki. So this chapter could not be too happy. But Chomei was the silver lining, to me at least.

Next chapter will focus on Naruto again. But considering how Fu will return to the plot later on, I felt like this chapter had priority now.

Make me and my beta **Illuminated** happy, and leave a **review**!

* * *

-Z-


	8. Training

**Apophenia**

 **Training…?**

* * *

Chibi-Kurama could not move an inch. The sleeping little blond brat who was his jinchuriki held him close. Being dragged along when the boy went to bed had been humiliating enough for the mighty Kyuubi, but being strangled by a child barely more than a toddler was even worse.

Disgusting humans…

* * *

"Now who's the puny, little worm?" Kurama laughed.

"Eh? Where am I? Ku-chan, how come you are so… huuuugggee," Naruto was flabbergasted. Where was he? How did the tiny fox suddenly get to be the size of a mountain? What were those huge prison bars? And was that a paper with the word 'seal' written on it, up there on the lock of the prison? Weird.

"Don't call me that, you maggot!"

Little Naruto yelped when Kurama's massive claws clashed against the barrier that separated the two of them. Stumbling backwards, Naruto noticed that this fox was completely unlike the cute little fox he had seen earlier. And the power this creature radiated… it was unreal.

"B-but… how did you get so huge?"

"I'm always like this, idiot! I'm the Kyuubi, the mightiest of all the bijuu," Kurama arrogantly introduced himself. "I've been sealed inside you, since the night you were born. And in return for my freedom, and our mutual survival, I am supposed to make you strong."

"Strong? Sealed? Me? B-but… where am I?"

"This is inside your mind, doofus," Kurama grumbled. "I dragged you here so that you would reduce your grip on me. I'm not a plushy, you know. You were freaking strangling me while you were sleeping. Tiny, dumb human."

Naturally, all of this went way over Naruto's head. Literally and figuratively. He was still struggling how the cute, little fox could in fact be a mean-looking, mountain-sized fox-demon.

"Starting tomorrow, I will train you," Kurama grunted. "And you better pay attention, or I'm going to gobble you up!"

Kurama couldn't stand seeing the clueless kid any longer, so he threw the boy out, back into the real world. The boy would have learned his lesson now, and show him a little more respect.

Disgusting humans…

* * *

"Ku-chan, I had the weirdest dream ever! You were all gigantic and grumbly, can you imagine?" Naruto chirped, holding a struggling, tiny, nine-tailed fox kit in his arms.

"Naruto… do you have to be so loud?" Tenten grumbled, half awake and half asleep. The two children still shared a room, both having their own sets of nightmares, yet drawing confidence from each other.

"You're just as grumbly as super-huge-Ku-chan," Naruto laughed, throwing his pillow at the little girl with her disheveled brown hair. "Tag, you're it!"

Reading the morning newspapers, Namikaze Minato sighed when he realized the peace and quiet had ended. Still in their pajamas, Tenten and Naruto chased after each other, with Naruto holding Minato's greatest headache: the mighty Kyuubi itself. Or at least, a one foot-high Kyuubi.

"Pretty lively, so early in the morning, aren't they?" a red-haired man dressed in a white cloak and a plain white mask remarked.

"As usual," Minato smiled, ignoring the fact that the man had surprised him. Again. "Though, since we've taken in Tenten-chan, things have started to 'spiral' out of control."

"Hmm... I think having a neechan would be good for the little brat," the masked man chuckled, amused by Minato's play on words. "Make him feel less lonely. Especially once he realizes how different he is from the other children. Of course, with Kushina-san around he'd never be truly lonely. It is amusing to see her fuss about him."

"I've been meaning to ask you about that, are they really connected?" Minato lay down his newspaper. "I mean, with my wife being a previous jinchuriki, we've got quite a unique situation."

"Yeah, pretty much," the man shrugged. "As for your question: it beats me, to be honest. It's not like even I have experience with these types of situations. It never happened before that a jinchuriki survived the extraction. But the Kyuubi is powerful empath, in spite of how he may appear and behave. Or perhaps it is because of it that he began to act that way. I presume that Kushina-san is just so similar to Naruto himself, both being tied to Kurama, that they can sense each other's emotions. He'll be the biggest mama's boy ever," he chuckled." But it is possible that once the boy is a bit older, he'll notice that he can sense emotions from others as well, but probably never as clearly as his mother's. If I were you, I'd be careful if he shows signs of being able to do that."

"There has never been much research into the influence of a bijuu's chakra on their jinchuriki," Minato nodded. "At least, not in the way I would have liked it. It is mostly about how to find people capable of becoming a jinchuriki. And even after all that research, it still is mostly a guessing game."

"Only the Senju and Uzumaki seemed to be strong enough, physically," the masked man nodded. Sure, the Kaguya might have been qualified too, but they had always been a bit too wild- too uncontrollable to be entrusted with such a burden. "But I dare say that fuinjutsu is the biggest issue. Many jinchuriki would have survived if stronger seals had been used."

"But only the Uzumaki had access to that level of fuinjutsu," Minato sighed. "Even I only truly learned the art of fuinjutsu because of Kushina. The Shodai-sama and Nidaime-sama did likewise before me, from Uzumaki Mito."

"Why do you think the Uzumaki were given that knowledge, Minato-san?"

"I wish I knew. And could you quit with the suffixes? Such politeness doesn't really suit you."

"I leave Naruto to you. The Kyuubi will aid in his training, but Kurama is rather… 'inexperienced' when it comes to teaching. It isn't the word that covers his personality, but you know what I mean. He will have difficulties understanding the limitations of children. He doesn't really know what it is to be weak. But he will be essential to training Naruto properly. You and Kushina will have to take care that Naruto learns the rest as well-such as the value of friends," the masked man sounded rather solemn, even though Minato could not see his expression. "Despite everything, he is still a child. He deserves a life which is at least somewhat normal."

"You… Erm," Minato hesitated for a second, not sure how to ask this. "This threat, can't you tell more about it?"

"At this point? No," the masked man said decisively. "But it is a matter of logic. No one would gamble everything on a contest with a shinobi like you, the infamous Kiiroi Senko. Especially not someone with the level of skill to manipulate the Kyuubi. No, someone like that would have backup plans. Or… or the person we faced that night was not the one who made the plans, but merely a puppet instead. If I were the guy behind the scenes, I'd send out one of my most trusted henchmen for such a job."

' _No, the corpse of Uchiha Madara was never found. And the attack on Uzushiogakure was too convenient for someone who was known to force the Kyuubi into submission. The Uchiha that night had not been Madara, yet he had shown the same sort of skill. For such people, who use bijuu as weapons, fuinjutsu would have been the ultimate enemy. Much like how Uzumaki Mito had foiled Madara's plans by making herself the first jinchuriki of the Kyuubi. Or at least, the first one who was known to survive the sealing. Taking down the Uzumaki clan would've been the first priority for anyone targeting the bijuu.'_ But those were things the masked man could not tell Minato just yet. They were vague and unfounded speculations, at best.

"The real Uchiha Madara?" Minato suggested.

' _Damn his sharp mind.'_

"Perhaps. I will have to visit Uchiha Itachi first, and I think I'll drop by at the Hyuga estate as well," the masked man changed the subject. Yes, he had noticed something before he had hit Itachi… something which would become a problem in a few years- stupid dormant diseases. That definitely needed to be fixed before it would progress any further. And in hindsight, he didn't think that the quick fix he applied while smashing Itachi into a wall was sufficient.

Oh, and he needed to apologize for punching him, that too.

"The Hyuga?" Minato blinked, not knowing what the man would have to do with that clan.

"I saw their heiress," the man grunted. "You should really make more efforts toward changing that clan. The way they abuse their so-called caged bird seal is an insult to the Uzumaki clan. And if that girl acts like that at this age, I fear those cold-hearted bastards would torment the poor thing when she grows up and remains that gentle." Yes, that would be the least he could do for her. Besides, the byakugan was a rather unique nuisance to him. Annoying them was something he'd do even if he didn't have a particular reason for it. Bullying a Hyuga was as funny as it was to swat an Uchiha.

"Oh, and don't forget to ask Jiraiya to check up on Gaara, when he gets close to Sunagakure," the masked man added when he stood up. "Yuya-chan and I will leave for Kiri, but someone should check that Gaara kid's seal."

"Don't you want to leave the child with us, where she is safe?" Minato suggested, not comfortable with seeing the little girl getting dragged along into a war zone like Mizu no Kuni.

"I'd like to, but I'm bound by my promises to her, and she wanted to stay with me even after I explained the risks. Don't worry, though: I'll make sure she won't get hurt."

"You sacrificing yourself for her would be just as bad," Minato couldn't help but add. The loss would be far worse for the world at large.

"Ya know that I don't die that easily," the masked man laughed, before walking out of the room. He had those two chores to do before he and Tayuya would leave. After all, among all the jinchuriki, Yagura was both the most influential, and unfortunately the most difficult as well. He had to be convinced to follow their objectives- or be eliminated.

Attempting to do things the non-violent way was always so damn troublesome, the masked man noted.

* * *

Namikaze Kushina, née Uzumaki, watched with mixed feelings as her son played. Or trained- she couldn't distinguish the two. She had to give it to the foot-high demon: he did try to teach Naruto. Although he was completely oblivious to what being a child entailed. Naruto, and to an extent Tenten too, saw these 'exercises' as one big game.

The scene itself was amusing to watch, but for Kushina it was also difficult, because she had known the Kyuubi for a long time. The monster had tormented her, which had isolated her from most things- until Minato saved her, in more than one way.

When she had just given birth to Naruto, everything had happened so quickly. She had been so weak… she _knew_ that the Kyuubi had agreed with their plans, but she never really had to face the consequences. To Kushina, it was barely noticeable that Naruto was a jinchuriki. She just saw him as a normal boy, albeit a hyperactive one.

The tiny fox changed that perspective. Kurama had been an enemy, _her_ enemy. It was the embodiment of hatred, a giant mass of evil. To see that in the shape of a one-foot high fox being dragged around like a teddy bear was… Weird. Extremely weird.

The only saving grace was that the Kyuubi had this tiny shape. Kushina knew like no other how prideful the creature was, so this humiliation was the best possible punishment. Although, she'd rather nail him to a cross again, and keep her son safe from the creature's malice. If anyone else had proposed this insane plan, she'd have… Weary from the events of the past few days, Kushina drifted into a calm sleep. The lazy chair from which she had been watching the children had become a little too comfortable. Smiling behind her mask, Yugao draped a blanket over the woman who felt like an older sister to her.

Temporarily unwatched, the children, however, slipped from the Namikaze property. Naruto's bright idea to show Tenten how Minato's office looked had come at the perfect moment… as if the boy had felt that his mother had fallen asleep.

* * *

' _Reports, letters, reports, requests, and – oh, what a surprise – even more reports. Paperwork is truly the bane of a Hokage. No wonder Hiruzen-sama was so glad that he could appoint me as his successor,'_ Minato sighed in silence as he read on, and on, and on. His desk was filled with the daily dose of rubbish. Unlike before, when the piles had truly been huge, Minato now only had the most necessary documents to go through. There was no more ordering head bands, and more of the menial things. The Sandaime had been a little too much of a control freak, and Minato didn't want to spend his days with filling forms for ordering toilet paper or whatever. No, that could be delegated. A Hokage should spend his energy on matters which needed a Hokage, not a mere administrator.

The culling of papers did not make the reviews of trade, the political state of the capital, the health of the Daimyo, and all those other things, that much more interesting, but it was needed for his job. In contrast, the report on Itachi's sudden recovery was more amusing. Minato already knew who did it, after all. With Itachi being strangely reluctant to talk, claiming to be unconscious as it happened, Minato had his fun watching his subordinates scurry around trying to find out what exactly occurred- not that they would find anything, Minato already knew that, better than anyone else…

Hyuga Hiashi's official complaint was equally amusing. The details of how an unknown assailant, claiming to be an Uzumaki, made a fool out of the entire Hyuga clan had made Minato's day. Although the reported threats, namely the removal of the entire caged bird seal system if the heiress wasn't trained and treated properly, were less funny. While they were kept a secret, so as to not instigate any reactions from the branch house of the Hyuga, the idea that the masked man would execute such a thing (and Minato knew it was no impossibility) was a troubling thought. It was a thing that could even trigger a civil war, now that the Uchiha were stirring.

Politics…

' _I stand corrected. Politicians are far worse than paperwork. All the lies and deceit… civilization is mere a thin cover over human greed,_ _'_ Minato sighed again, wondering whether his sensei's views on the cycle of hatred were truly so dark. In all his time as Hokage, it certainly seemed that way. During the war, things had been relatively simple. It was us versus them, united against a strong opponent, and Minato had been their symbol. Now that the war had ended, the value of that symbol started to decrease. Bit by bit the people from the council tried to wriggle their way out of this peace. War was so much more profitable to those who had gained power during that time.

' _It is truly a cycle. War creates the desire for peace, yet peace creates a desire for war. Or at least, the greedy desires of mankind will inevitably create a situation where one party attempts to take something from the other. During war, we can direct our efforts, and unite. During peace, all our efforts are scattered. Until one act of greed triggers another war._ _'_

When having such thoughts, Minato longed for his wife. Kushina had a peculiar way with words, always knowing exactly what to say to lift Minato's spirits. If not for her, he truly didn't know how to deal with the idiocy that his function attracted, like the latest letter coming from the Yamanaka clan, complaining about the actions of the Uchiha clan. The actions itself were insignificant, but the petty reasons were not really why Inoichi was filing this complaint. No, the true reason was what Itachi had done, and with the boy's apparent failure, Fugaku would be all the more susceptible to insult. Pride… it served as a horrible advisor.

Yet with the way Fugaku boasted about his eldest, it was to be expected that people would attempt to use this as a 'deliberate failure to defend the Namikaze heir'. ' _Why are people always seeking to drag me into their discussions?_ _'_ Minato asked himself a question of which he already knew the answer. The answer was a simple one. He was without doubt the strongest shinobi of Konoha.

It was another fine example of 'civilization', where the laws of the jungle still ruled: the right of the strongest.

As if to prove his point, three elderly people entered his office after a hasty knock. While Sarutobi Hiruzen was someone whom Minato deeply respected, he had his reservations about the other two elders, Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura. Although, Minato wouldn't use the sort of less-than-friendly names which Kushina chose for them.

"Hokage-sama, we must talk about the situation in the Kurama clan," Koharu, the lone female of the three, started.

"I thought the seal on their heiress was functioning properly now," Minato frowned. "Please, take a seat."

"There are voices which suggest that her power is too great for her to control it," Homura muttered. "That it should be-"

The moment he sat down on the chair, Homaru made a rather… _peculiar_ sound. More specifically, he made the sound of someone releasing an amount of gas from his intestines- a rather noisy fart. Minato looked at the older man with one brow raised, and where Koharu was clearly displeased, Sarutobi Hiruzen struggled to contain his laughter. He struggled even more when all four heard someone else snicker.

Minato immediately realized what was going on, and why Hiruzen was so amused. The old man had already noticed. Then again, there was only one person in the entire village who would dare to pull such jokes in this office while he was distracted by his paperwork. Only one person would not be cast out by the anbu guards. "Naruto-chan… please, stop hiding."

"Oh dang, he figured it out," a child yelped.

"I told you they would!" a girl muttered. In the mess of arms, legs, and tails (?) two children rolled out of the closet- along with something orange and furry which none of the three elders recognized.

"I told you that it would end in failure, you deaf meatbag," the little thing snarled. "You should listen to your sensei."

"Oh boy…" Minato knew what was coming now.

"The… The Kyuubi?" Hiruzen frowned, confused by the one-foot fox. The other two showed more extreme reactions, namely fear and disgust. "Minato, how can… How is it possible that…"

"Tsk, is it so odd that I want to stretch my paws every now and then? Dumb old meatbat," Kurama scoffed.

"Ku-chan, don't be so mean to Jiisan!"

"Why are you calling Sandaime-sama Jiisan?!"

"But… Neechan," little Naruto whined, when Tenten attempted to make him bow and properly address the older man.

"Give it up, Pandagirl," the little fox grumbled with his deep voice. A voice which was completely out of place, given how tiny he was. "The runt doesn't know any respect at all. Just look how he treats me…"

"Sulky Ku-chan," Naruto laughed, sticking out his tongue, which resulted in the tiny fox chasing the boy, attempting to bite him in the feet. This had Tenten slapping herself on the forehead in exasperation.

"Ehm… Naruto-chan, what are you doing here?" Minato sighed wearily. "Don't tell me you've wandered off on your own again."

"Kinda?" Naruto laughed embarrassedly. "I just wanted to show Neechan how you are Hokage-ing in your office."

' _Since when did he make Hokage a verb?_ _'_ Hiruzen stopped staring at the little fox, and watched the little squabble between father and son. In a sense, it reminded him of how Asuma was as a child, although their arguments had evolved into something less amusing than what currently unfolded between the Namikazes. It made him long for the days when he and Asuma were still on speaking terms.

The least amused person in the room ended the situation with a loud cough. From the seat of his chair, Homura pulled out a whoopee cushion, the offending item that had made the fart which had resounded through the office earlier. The way it had been concealed was rather inventive, Minato noted. "I believe this is yours, Namikaze-san?"

"You can keep it, Beardy-san, I've got more-"

"Naruto, show some manners," Minato tapped his son on the head, glaring at the boy. "It is not nice to… Sandaime-sama, please," the current Hokage couldn't continue chiding his son while his predecessor was laughing like that.

"My apologies, Minato, but you saw the look on Homura's face," he broke down into a loud snickering again. "I've not seen my old teammate look like that in a very long time. It definitely brought back some good memories. You remember when we were genin, and Shodaime-sama made us babysit Tsunade?"

In spite of her grumpy nature, even Kohura had to smile at the memory. Homaru, on the other hand, did not have fond memories of that day. The way the young Tsunade had made fun of them, and him in particular, was something which still irked him. Then again, he had never been too great with kids.

"I've put all the necessary details regarding the Yakumo heiress in the folder," Hiruzen switched back to his serious face. "She can either be a powerful asset, or a grave danger. My advice is to give her a proper teacher of genjutsu. I recall that there is a particularly gifted chunin in the area, by the name of Yuhi Kurenai. Once she is stable enough, she should switch to someone who is capable at teaching her taijutsu. She is rather weak, physically."

"Kurenai? Her lack of experience might be dangerous in such a delicate situation," Minato frowned.

"I leave that to your judgement, Hokage-sama," Hiruzen smiled teasingly. "It is nice that I am now able to shove these kinds of things on someone else. I'll take Naruto-chan and his little friends back to your house. Though, you owe us all an explanation on how the Kyuubi got that tiny form."

"Let's say that we struck an agreement with the Kyuubi," Minato said defensively. "It is a matter above S-rank clearance. Though, you can all rest assured, as he won't be a threat- unless someone attempts to hurt Naruto, of course."

"Ugh. First I have to teach the boy, and now I'm a bodyguard too? I've only got four paws, there's only so much that I can do, you know," the grumpy fox grumbled. Still, he hopped on top of Naruto's head, and ordered the dumbfounded boy to march out of the office. This way of transport was much more convenient then walking with those four tiny legs.

Seeing the bijuu interact with the jinchuriki in such an unexpected manner, however, did raise a brow with Hiruzen. The looks he exchanged with his successor said enough: later. They would discuss this matter later.

"Yo, old monkey, get a move on."

"He definitely has the manners befitting a demon," Hiruzen sighed. "I haven't been called a monkey in years."

* * *

"So… you know Sandaime-sama, Tsunade-sama, _and_ Jiraiya-sama?" Tenten still couldn't believe how Naruto could treat these legends so casually. Then again, from what she had heard at the orphanage, the Yondaime Hokage was stronger than any of them. The fastest shinobi in history, the 'yellow flash' Minato was one of those extremely rare shinobi who received a 'flee on sight' notice in the bingo books.

"You're excluding me, Pandagirl," Kurama grumbled. "All those fools are insignificant compared to my might. Even that Uchiha pest of a Madara needed his eyes to win against me. Ruddy cheater. No, the only person who ever managed to overpower a bijuu in terms of strength was your Shodaime."

"Don't call me Pandagirl, Ku-chan!" Tenten looked down at the tiny fox. Considering his size, Tenten simply couldn't not comprehend that the creature was as strong as he claimed. Kurama could see that right on Tenten's face. ' _Another humiliation added to the list, and for each item on that list I will make that masked bastard pay!_ _'_

"Of course Naruto-chan knows all those people," Kushina frowned. "You know who Minato is, right? And Jiraiya might not be around that often, but he is Naruto's godfather."

"Yep, Gama-ojisan," Naruto smiled. "Although Kaa-chan hates his orange books," he added with a secretive whisper. Not that it really worked, considering how they were sitting at the dining table. Minato was still at work, as a certain issue had triggered a meeting of the Konoha council. With Naruto returning with Kurama on top of his head, flanked by the old Sarutobi, Kushina knew exactly what the subject of that council meeting was. There would be a lot of panicking people right now.

"Erm… Kushina-san, how should I… I mean, I'm a complete nobody, so can I even… how should I address them? Can I even talk to them? I probably shouldn't, right?"

"You're living with us, aren't you?" Kushina shrugged. "As far as I'm concerned, you can treat them however you want. Just be a little bit more respectful than that little blond disaster next to you. Yes, mister, I heard about that fart cushion."

"Ah… hehe… heh…"

"Don't try to laugh it away, you're not convincing anyone. If not for Sandaime-sama, I'd ground you for a week," Kushina harrumphed. "And Tenten-chan, didn't I tell you to cut it out with those formalities? You're part of the family now, so don't act that distantly in the way you're talking."

"O-okay," although perpetually blushing, the little girl turned even more crimson now. Casting her eyes down and fidgeting with her fingers, Tenten eventually spoke up again. It was very subdued, and very soft, but Kushina had good ears, good enough to pick up the slightly-more-than-mumbling way of speaking: "O… O-Okaa-san."

"That's better!" Kushina smiled widely, startling the little girl who had felt her heart beating in her throat due to the mere audacity of her own actions.

"Yay! Neechan! Now I've officially got two neechans," Naruto laughed. "Though I think we're going to lose Yugao-neechan to Hayate soon," he added with a toothy grin.

"Yes, I noticed how Hayate-kun was…" Kushina paused for second, mocking the young kunoichi by acting like she tried to be thoughtful. "…accidentally loitering around while walking in this neighbourhood. It must have been very coincidental that he walked the same route for seven times. Perhaps just as coincidental as him stopping to loiter around after you stayed away for such a mysteriously long time while throwing out the garbage?"

The question was asked in a sickeningly sweet tone, and even her mask couldn't save Yugao, no matter how swiftly she had put it on. Because the girl turned red from the roots of her hair down to her throat.

"It would seem you need a bigger mask, Yugao-chan," Kushina continued teasing. Yugao knew that this was the payback for all the times she had been teasing Kushina with the formalities which the older woman detested.

As entertaining as it was, Tenten was barely paying attention. She was still processing the fact that she had called Kushina 'mother', and that Kushina had happily approved it. On top of it, Naruto had repeated once again that he now viewed Tenten as his sister.

' _Do I… Do I have family now? A real family? One that isn_ _'_ _t going to abandon me? And it isn_ _'_ _t… No, this isn_ _'_ _t a dream. It is real, isn_ _'_ _t it? I_ _'_ _ve got a family._ _'_

Only Kurama noticed how the girl hid her tears of joy, and hid a smile of his own. There was no need to show people that he wasn't the epitome of malice, was there?

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

* * *

There. Tenten finally said it!

You can thank **LuxEterna1** for reminding me of Kurama Yakumo. She'll appear again at later stages. And you know the drill: please leave reviews to encourage me and my beta **Illuminated** in our efforts to create this story.

* * *

-Z-

* * *

 **Omake: Naruto's first time**

* * *

"Three miso ramen and one vegetable variety special? Is that all, Kushina-sama?"

"Yes, Teuchi. And cut the crap, you've known us for years, so no honorifics," Kushina sighed to the phone.

"Haha, I know, I know, but it isn't really a regular thing to get a phone call from the most influential woman in Konoha!" Teuchi laughed from the other side. "I'll send Ayame-chan to bring the delivery at your home."

"Good, I'll see her soon. Thanks, Teuchi," Kushina yawned. Ever since the extraction, she had suffered from a lack of energy. While she knew she was extremely lucky to have survived it, the way the Kyuubi had been dragged out of her had pretty much destroyed her chakra pathways, ended her career as kunoichi, and effectively crippled her in life in general. With a hyperactive two-year old son to look after, Kushina didn't have the power to cook dinner anymore. So, she decided to be a little lazy and just order ramen for herself, and vegetables for Naruto.

The boy despised vegetables, but Kushina insisted that he had to eat them if he wanted to grow up to be a big, strong boy.

"Hmm… I think I'm going to sit down on the couch and wait until Ayame gets here. Ugh, why does Yugao-chan always have to be at the academy? Did I skip that many classes back then, or did they expand the curriculum that much?"

* * *

"Yame-chan!"

"Naruto- chan?"

"Kaa-chan is doing sleepy on couch," two-year old Naruto babbled. How he even managed to open the door confused Ayame a little, considering the safeguards that had been placed to keep the over-enthusiastic toddler 'contained'. He sniffed. "Foodsies for Kaa-chan?"

"Errm… I think?" Ayame frowned. "Naruto-kun, could you tell your Kaa-"

"I is bring foodsies to Kaa-chan!" the little boy stuck out his chest in pride.

"Oh… yes, I suppose that's an option too," the Ichiraku shrugged. "Ah well, Tou-san will get his money, Kushina is a regular guest anyway, so we'll just add it to the tab. Here you go, Naruto-chan!"

Before she could hand him the bag, Naruto first had to give the nine year-old girl a firm hug. After she left, Naruto carried the bag inside, although the fragrance that entertained his nose made him… Ah, who are we kidding: Namikaze Naruto had never been a patient child.

* * *

Namikaze Minato frowned when heard soft snoring upon entering his house. His wife was firmly asleep on the couch, something that didn't surprise him that much considering her health. What did surprise him, however, were the three empty canisters and one unopened box with vegetables. More specifically: what surprised him was their bloated son, snoring like a grown man, his belly filled with three servings of miso ramen, to the point where his orange t-shirt was stretching. Although there were multiple noodles in his hair and face, as if he had literally plunged face-down into the food.

"Oh no… he just unlocked his Uzumaki appetite," Minato pinched the bridge of his nose. "His first ramen... If Naruto-chan is going to be as bad as Kushina-chan, I might as well file for bankruptcy in advance."

 _(requested by_ _ **LuxEterna1**_ _)_


	9. Author's note

**Author's note**

* * *

First of all, I apologize that this is not a chapter. It has been a while since I updated Apophenia, and I feel bad that I am not able to do so right now, but I think it would be even ruder if I just kept silent. The condensed version of my current situation is that I am very busy right now. I knew what I got myself in to and I made a detailed planning for all of my stories prior, which could at least enable me to (relatively) easily continue writing. This planning phase is what consumes most time and energy. The problem, however, is that I am not satisfied with the planning I have for Apophenia right now. And considering the dwindling number of reviews, last chapter had the lowest number of reviews since I started out writing, I concluded that you guys think I should be doing better as well.

Therefore, I announce a small hiatus, in which I'm going to alter my planning for the upcoming chapters. But as said, that won't be the end of this story: I am not going to abandon it. I estimate that I will at least continue this story for another five chapters. If there is still a lack of response at that time, I'll take it as a sing that people aren't interested in the fic, and that I'd better divert my energy to other stories. But that is something for later. The plan behind this fic has to be revealed first, only then will I be able to make such a definitive decision regarding the future of Apophenia.

'till next time!

* * *

-Z-


	10. Contrasts

_Yes, this story is still a thing! I needed that break to redesign this fic's plot, as well as finish university, but now that I've done all that… it's time for publishing new stuff!_

* * *

 **Apophenia**

 **Contrasts**

* * *

"And remember: don't get too far from the boy," the masked man reminded as he crouched down next to the one-foot tall demon fox.

"Yeah, yeah," Kurama grumbled. "Or the link between my sealed self and this clone-like body is interrupted, and you're not around to create a new one. Pesky meatbag. Just go already. You've already gotten your refill, and you've made enough fun of me as well."

"Sticking close to the kid also gives you the opportunity to get to know him a little. Who knows, he might grow on ya!"

"When Hell freezes over…"

"Ku-chan, why are you always such a meany?" little Naruto frowned. "Kaa-chan, is Ku-chan always like this?"

"Pretty much, but don't you think you should say goodbye, Naruto-chan?" Kushina chided her easily distracted son. She had taken the children and fox to the gates of Konohagakure so they could say goodbye to their unusual guests.

"Bye-bye Masked-mister, bye-bye Yuya-chan!"

"Train hard and grow strong, little ones," the masked man ruffled through the hair of both Naruto and Tenten. "And I think you'll need to keep your Nii-chan in control," he chuckled, nodding to Tenten. "Good thing you've got the perfect sensei in Kushina!"

"Come on Tou-san, we're late," little Tayuya sighed. "See ya next time, crybaby."

"I'm not a crybaby!"

"You are," Tayuya stuck her tongue out at him before trotting off.

"Be careful in Kiri," Kushina held the man by his arm, before he could follow his adopted daughter. "Yagura is dangerous…"

"I'll manage, somehow," he gently squeezed her hand. "We Uzumaki are too tough to be done in by a little bijuu! See you guys soon!"

"Idiot," Kurama grumbled, when the two were out of sight, the path taking a turn into the forests that surrounded Konoha. "If he underestimates Isobu, he'll get his ass kicked again. And this time I'm not going to help him out. Damn leech."

"He said he'll do it, Kurama, so he will," Kushina boasted, although she mostly feigned confidence to calm the kids. Naruto and Tenten were both confused by the way Kushina was acting. "Shall we go home? Itachi-san should be back today, so we can't leave him waiting!"

* * *

"Well, I suppose that I have to thank you for at least waiting until we got out of Konoha," the masked man chuckled aloud when Tayuya came to a sudden stop. It made him proud that the little girl noticed them; she'd definitely become a great kunoichi one day- although he already knew that. "Then again, you wouldn't have liked it if you had involved the wife and son of the Hokage. It would have forced me to be… unfriendly."

"Tou-san, who are these white-eyed idiots? Are they trying to pick a fight with you?"

"They are, Yuya-chan, so stay out of it," he chuckled. "After all, these spineless bastards seem to specialize in tormenting little girls. Anything older than that would be beyond their meager level of skill- such heroism."

"You arrogant-" one of the eleven Hyuga assassins made the mistake of falling for the taunt. The break in his concentration, if only for a second, proved to be fatal. Rage was a horrible advisor.

"One down, ten to go," the man wiped a drop of blood from his mask. The fallen Hyuga had been slain in one mighty punch, one which seemingly broke every bone in the man's face. "Seriously, I told Hiashi what would happen if you guys kept screwing around with those seals. I won't let your clan slander the art of fuinjutsu any longer. But, if I had to name one thing that pissed me off, I'd point at the treatment your clan's heiress was getting. It's a good thing at least that improved, or I would not have waited for you idiots to take the initiative."

The remaining ten glared at him, guarded after the display, though still upholding their typical coldness as befit their Hyuga reputation. The fools, in spite of their so-called all-seeing eyes, still had no idea who they were messing with.

The masked man sighed. "So be it. A few years ago, I warned Hiashi that I'd tear his clan down if he didn't change his policies, but apparently the guy is even dumber than he looked. Perhaps nine more deaths would be enough to get the message across… so, which of you ten idiots desires to be the unlucky one to survive and bring Hiashi the message?"

"…unlucky?"

Their byakugan registered the sudden shift in the man's chakra. But it was already too late. "Yeah, the unlucky one to survive will lose his ability to function as a shinobi," the predatory laughter chilled them. This wasn't what they had signed up for. This wasn't what eleven chunin-level shinobi were cut out for. "The lucky ones don't have to suffer for the rest of their miserable lives..."

* * *

In the days that followed, only one could manage to equal the frustration that Hyuga Hiashi felt. Kurama, poor Kurama, attempted to teach young Naruto how to control his powers. Obviously, that did not turn out well. With an attention span that rivaled that of a goldfish, Namikaze Naruto was distracted faster than Kurama could utter words. And in his current condition, the outer body being as tiny as a common housecat, the fox could not force the child to settle down either.

The tantrum that followed after a notably bad move on Naruto's side (Kurama didn't appreciate the child's attempt to dress him up) didn't achieve much either. Even Kushina had laughed when she saw the tiny fox trying to pull out Naruto's hair. Teaching the boy anything in the usual way seemed nigh impossible, so Kurama looked for ways to get the boy to pay attention. Then he found the most effective method of all: pranks. The spectacle at the office of the Hokage had been ingenious to the point that Kurama started to think that the boy actually had some brains, leading to the misconception and frustration when he tried to be a responsible 'sensei'.

Oh, how Kurama hated it when Kushina called him 'Kurama-sensei'. She was mocking him. The entire thing about him being tiny was one big joke to her.

"I'll make them all pay." Yes, by encouraging Naruto to become the grand prankmaster of Konoha, Kurama would eventually make Kushina pay for her mockery. Although the person who suffered most at this time was poor Itachi. Naruto was elusive to the point that Itachi nearly ate his hitai-ate when he lost the children _again_.

"Wah?" Naruto tried to look up, but considering how Kurama was resting on top of Naruto's head, this didn't really work out. The little fox had to struggle to stay on top. Kushina was taking Naruto and Tenten to some kind of playing field, after mentioning something about future classmates.

A ragged Itachi followed in the shadows, still recovering from Naruto's attempt to 'decorate' the main gates. Knowing that Tsunade would leave that morning, Naruto had thought that it would be a good idea to hang a banner with 'Bye-bye Baa-chan!' painted on it, a gesture that made a lot of people snicker; with each laugh Tsunade's mood had worsened. She was rather sensitive when it involved her age. Of course she was a complete sucker, and Naruto knew it, as she couldn't get mad at him. But then there was the one who was supposed to look after him, though… a _ragged_ Itachi.

The anger of Tsunade wasn't so much due to the gate-prank, no… but the moment she could, she grabbed Itachi by his collar and dragged him off to whispering distance, so that the children wouldn't hear what she had to tell him. She demanded to know the truth: did Itachi really forget about something as simple as a Kawarimi no Jutsu, or did he not mind it if someone snatched Naruto away. Tsunade's words stung even more, though, when she told him that rumors were circulating that Itachi _allowed_ Naruto to be taken away, even though Minato had somehow resolved the situation. Her inhuman strength could never hurt him as much as the knowledge that he had unintentionally fueled the anti-Uchiha faction, all due to his own inexperience.

That said, Yugao wasn't feeling much better, although her shame was caused by something completely different. It's not like Tsunade had a habit of randomly clobbering people, mind you. Naruto had tormented the girl in a more refined way. Although the boy was, naturally, completely oblivious about what he had done. Yugao was still thinking of hurting Hayate, whose poor stalking skills had led to Naruto calling out to him in the middle of a busy street. That the boy then began to prattle –loudly – on how Yugao and Hayate would soon be a Tou-san and Kaa-chan had made the situation even more embarrassing. The ensuing discussion between Naruto and Tenten on whether it was storks or toads that delivered babies had brought Kushina to tears, she hadn't had a laugh like that in a long time.

Hayate, or 'Hayata' as Naruto usually called him, had practically set a new record for fastest shunshin, while Yugao's blush had lit up right through her mask. Kushina had suggested naming her the 'crimson flash'. Little children could unknowingly be devils in the cutest disguises man could think of. And ever since the little Kurama had appeared, Yugao had seen Naruto's hyperactivity spike to unprecedented levels. The boy had way too much energy for his own good, and that was while Kushina and Tenten still slowed him down…

' _I shudder at the thought of him becoming a shinobi. The stamina and excess chakra Naruto-chan has is just downright scary. I mean, no child his age should be capable of mustering so much chakra already. Even those from Kekkei Genkai clans only have weird spikes in their capacity, and not something as constant as Naruto already has,'_ Yugao sighed. If only the boy could let Hayate be, rather than keep chasing him away. ' _But what do I… do I really want Hayate-kun to be my… my…'_

With her fifteen years Yugao knew enough to have a very vivid imagination, while still retaining enough of her shyness and innocence to make her hesitate about every way she thought she could have a relationship with Hayate. The rather introverted and shy boy didn't have a clue either. Thus the two kept circling around each other without saying how they truly felt about the other. ' _What do I truly feel about Hayate-kun?'_ Even hidden in the shadows the kunoichi couldn't hide the glow of her blush- so much for shinobi never showing their emotions.

"Ku-chan, why are you so grouchy?" Naruto wondered. "Is it because Kaa-chan gave you meat instead of ramen?"

"Not everyone lives solely for ramen," Tenten sighed, walking next to her 'brother'.

"They don't?"

"Don't look so surprised, feeble meatbag," Kurama grumbled. "Pandagirl is correct; as usual, she's smarter than you. I don't like ramen at all. Just give me some raw meat and I'm happy."

"You're funny," Naruto laughed.

"I. Am. Not. Funny." Kurama hissed. "Why do you keep mocking me, you ignoramus!"

"Ig… Igno… What?"

"Exactly," the foot-high fox huffed with no small amount of satisfaction at the boy's confusion.

The main event of the day was exactly as Kushina had told the children: they would meet others of their age group, those of the clans who'd join Naruto in class. Apparently some of the clans had aimed to get their children closer to the son of the infamous Yondaime. Kushina suspected the Yamanaka to be behind it, and was rather cautious as her overprotective-mother-senses shot up a few levels, knowing that even innocent games would soon deteriorate into something much worse…

The fact that Ino glomped Naruto the very moment she saw him didn't make Kushina's mood much better. Luckily, Mikoto was there to calm the impatient redhead down. The older Uchiha had come alongside Sasuke, her youngest son, because Kushina invited them. It wasn't like they would be here if they had depended on the Hyuga to invite them. No, vying for the position of Konoha's strongest clan, the relations between Hyuga and Uchiha were already bad enough – even before the rumors started after the night that the Kyuubi attacked Konoha. The rumors that an Uchiha was the one who caused it all had only increased the tensions. After all, everyone knew that Uchiha Madara had been able to control the bijuu. He was infamous for using the Kyuubi in his battle against the Shodaime Hokage, Senju Hashirama.

Minato's refusal to clarify what happened that night only made the speculations worse, even though he urged that the clan could be trusted. Everyone agreed on one thing: the Kyuubi didn't act out of free will. It had attacked certain locations specifically, and had never caused any damage to the Uchiha compound. The consequence had been that the gap between the Uchiha and the rest of the village had only increased. Many clans, most notably the Aburame and Hyuga, already had a rather isolationist policy, but what was currently happening was something that worried Minato and Kushina a lot.

' _Danzo had many supporters before he was forced to flee the village, many who agreed with him that the Uchiha were too dangerous to be left unchecked. And as they are the backbone of the military police, the Uchiha clan is not unaware of this fact. Why can't people just look past these silly self-imposed barriers and borders?'_ Kushina smiled while looking at the children frolic around. "If only the adult population could take these children as an example."

"And here I thought most of Konoha was already acting childish enough as it is," Mikoto joked, albeit rather mirthlessly.

"They do indeed, but they lost their innocence, their impartiality," Kushina sighed. "Perhaps the next generation will manage to do what ours could not."

"Fugaku and I hold high hopes for our sons. Itachi-kun is a prodigy unlike anything the clan has seen since the creation of Konohagakure, while Sasuke-chan… well, he tries to follow his older brother's example, but he is still too young. And far too impatient," Mikoto smiled fondly as she watched her youngest. Sasuke knew that Itachi was somewhere around, him being Naruto's guard, and was searching in every nook and cranny for his beloved older brother.

"Well, this time it'll be an Uzumaki who kicks Uchiha butt," Kushina huffed.

"Are you still sore about that?" Mikoto laughed. "I was almost a jonin by the time you left the academy. The only thing that can be blamed is your own big mouth."

* * *

"Naru-kuuuunnnn," it was the last thing Naruto had heard before Ino tackled him with a flying hug. Kurama nimbly jumped from Naruto's head, landing on the ground without getting caught up in the blonde mess of arms and legs.

"Idiot," Tenten groaned.

"They're both idiots, Pandagirl," Kurama groused. "They're practically made for each other. Two blonde morons…"

"What the… what kind of troublesome creature is this supposed to be?"

"Can it, pineapple," the fox snapped back.

"Shikamaru-san! You're here too?"

"Ugh… I was sleeping in perfect peace and quiet, only to end up being dragged away by my mother. Troublesome women…"

"You think all women are annoying?"

"Well… not all," Shikamaru hesitated. "Although you are starting to ask troublesome questions now."

"It seems that Pandagirl at least has made a more sensible choice when it comes to her mate," Kurama snickered, not that either of the children realized what he said- yet.

"What's with the little fox?" Choji joined in, with his usual bag of chips.

"Fox… nine tails… no way," Shikamaru gasped, suddenly realizing what this creature in front of him was. "But… the Kyuubi is supposed to be massive."

"I think Ku-chan has some issues about height, so best not say too much about-"

Tenten tried to be subtle, tried to whisper so that Kurama wouldn't be irked even more than he already was, but the fox had good ears. Jumping at Tenten, however, was not a success for the little fox. Naruto plucked him right out of the air, holding him up for Ino.

"Ino-chan, this is Ku-chan!" he chirped. "Ku-chan, this is Ino-chan!"

"Let go of me, you filthy meatbag!" was what Kurama wanted to say. He was, however, silenced by Ino's outcry about how 'cute' the little fox was, followed by the worst ten minutes of Kurama's existence. It wasn't just Ino; the other girls joined in too. Hinata might have been shy and indecisive, but she did pet the struggling fox just as much as Ino did.

"She's from the Haruno family, I think," Shikamaru frowned, when Tenten asked him about the children she had not seen before. He seemed to know about a lot of things, and unlike Naruto, Shikamaru gave at least a comprehensible answer- much more complete than the things Naruto usually exclaimed. "I think I saw Ino with her once or twice; do you remember Choji?"

"Wasn't she named after a flower or something?" the chubby youth mused.

"Sakura, yes that was her name. Huh, I guess she got clearance to enter the academy as well, otherwise she wouldn't be here."

"You already know everyone?" Tenten wondered.

"That loud kid over there, who tried to hold a contest with Naruto for who talks biggest, before Ino pushed him away," Shikamaru pointed at a rather brash-looking boy. "That's the youngest son of the Inuzuka clan head. Kiba is his name. You've already met Hinata, over there, and next to the tree she's hiding behind we have Aburame Shino."

"Where?" Tenten squinted, trying to find the person that Shikamaru pointed out. "That boy in that cloak and high-collared jacket? I can barely see him. Why is he hiding like that?"

"Most Aburame are like that," the young Nara shrugged. "Not sure why. Perhaps it has something to do with their abilities. Kaa-san always seems a bit disgusted when she talks about them. Never asked why, though," he scratched his chin.

"Anyone else I should know about?"

"I once met that purple-haired girl over there," he nodded. "That's Ami, I don't recall she ever said she was part of a clan or anything, although she acted arrogant enough for it."

"Says you, who hails from the Nara clan," Tenten smirked. "But the way she brushed Sakura aside wasn't very nice," she noted, the girl didn't manage to hold Kurama for long though, as he quickly escaped from her and her two friends. One of them had spiky red hair, but the other… Tenten had to laugh when she noticed the ginger afro, and how it contrasted with the girl's disgusted expression, as if she just stepped in a pile of dog poo.

"Bullies usually are flanked by others," Choji sighed. "Like that Unagi boy. I don't think that I like him."

"He called you fat, so you shouldn't even try to like him," Shikamaru shook his head. "They only picked on you because you're too gentle, Choji. You have to stand up for yourself."

"Yeah, just shove a stick up their-"

* * *

This gathering of cuddling children was hell. Kurama fled, but at each turn there was another who tried to pet him. Some were gentle, like the white eyed girl, and some were less subtle, like the blonde menace that followed his meatbag.

Thinking about him, Kurama realized that it was the only way out. So he tracked down the boy and jumped on his head, that at least gave him some safety. Only the blonde menace was bold enough to assault Naruto, as the others seemed to have some sort of respect for the boy. ' _Must be his heritage. I doubt he would be respected because of me,'_ Kurama sighed. ' _It is peculiar. On one end, the humans seem to have lost much of the reverence they once held for the most powerful bloodlines, yet on the other hand they worship their new heroes and their offspring. Perhaps it is due to the fact that the majority of the clans have failed to produce truly powerful shinobi, whereas someone like the Namikaze just popped up out of nowhere. Ah well, the less respect those accursed Uchiha get, the better…'_

"Ku-chan?"

"Shut up. Just make sure all these snuggling felines stay away from me," Kurama grumbled. "And I think someone is trying to capture your sentinel."

"Sentiwhat?"

"Protector, guard, watch, sentry, what word do you prefer."

"Itachi-niisan?"

"That black-haired kit over there is chasing after him like a sad little pup…"

"Sasuke!"

* * *

"It seems like Sasuke-kun and Naruto-chan will be best friends rather than rivals," Kushina said with a slight disappointment. "Too bad, I was hoping I could finally get back at you."

"Perhaps they'll be both, Sasuke-chan was quite jealous when he learned that Naruto gets to spend a lot of time with Itachi," Mikoto laughed. "Perhaps my sons will show why the power of the kekkei genkai clan will always be superior, by beating yours."

"Some would disagree with that view," Yamanaka Yuriko cut in. The Yamanaka, Nara, and Akimichi clans did not possess any specific bloodline traits, but instead were trained from their birth to fill a specific role with specific techniques. Their jutsu weren't kekkei genkai, but 'hiden': the secret tradition of a clan.

"Let's say we'll show them the strength of all our clans," Kushina shook her head, remaining diplomatic in spite of being annoyed that Yuriko would start such a discussion when they should be enjoying their time watching the children getting to know each other. "If it is about proving strength, why did you invite so many civilian children?"

"All are talented, those are practically ensured of a position at the academy," Yuriko shrugged. "You know the changes your husband endorses. No boundaries. After all, he's pretty much the poster child of that change."

"Yes, Minato is rather adamant when it comes to discrimination," Kushina couldn't help pointing out. "Like the treatment some give the Uchiha…"

"Discrimination or healthy suspicion, you never denied that it was an Uchiha who was involved that night," the Yamanaka retorted. "All you say is 'secret', even when it is a matter that involves the entire village. Do you even know how many people lost their-"

"I do not need a reminder of that, thank you," Kushina said icily. Suddenly a purple-haired anbu appeared next to her. "Your curiosity has always been a weakness, Yuriko. That matter was declared an S-rank secret for good reasons. You just have to learn to accept that you do not know those reasons. Know your place."

"That went smoothly," Mikoto frowned, watching the not-very-amused Yamanaka stride away.

"Nosy idiot," Kushina grumbled. The night Naruto was born was still a sensitive matter, and Yuriko had overstepped her boundaries. "Yugao, why did you reveal yourself? We don't want to give the impression that we're threatening anyone."

"My orders were to protect you, Kushina-sama."

"Rest assured, Anbu-san, I wouldn't let anyone exploit Kushina's fragile condition." The sharingan flared up as Mikoto showed a firm expression that Kushina hadn't seen since she had foolishly challenged the woman, back when she was just a kid herself.

* * *

After a rather annoying day filled with complaining elders, clan heads, civilians, and even jonin, Namikaze Minato was happy to finally be back home. It was a little late, he conceded, but Kushina had saved him something to eat in the fridge nonetheless. She had even waited for him, but obviously this day had taken its toll on her. It was only half past eight, but Kushina was fast asleep on the couch.

Silently, he sneaked toward the hallway cupboard, taking one of the spare blankets from the shelves. It wasn't a rare occurrence that Kushina took a nap after dinner, considering her fragile condition, so they were prepared. Minato knew she'd only sleep for an hour or so. What was more surprising to him, however, was that he didn't see the kids. Unlike Kushina, who still suffered due to Kurama's extraction, neither of the children had a shortage of energy- especially Naruto.

' _Ah, right, I recall that they were to meet their future classmates today,'_ Minato remembered. ' _Small wonder Kushina is exhausted. Knowing Naruto-chan…'_

His suspicions were right. Little Naruto was snoring loud enough to pass for a grown man. Unsurprisingly, Tenten was still awake. Barely, but she was at least somewhat conscious. Enough to smile at him and mutter 'Tou-san', when Minato made sure she was properly tucked in, a habit he had fallen into because his unruly son always managed to kick his blankets away. Unlike Naruto, Tenten could actually get sick, which was a risk Minato wasn't going to take.

"Did you have fun today, Tenten-chan?" he whispered, not wanting to disturb Naruto.

"Yes. I met a lot of other kids… Shikamaru was there too," she said drowsily. "Seems like I'm not as troublesome as the rest of the class."

Well now, that killed the mood, for Minato at least. He had grown too fond of the little girl to think of… ' _I suppose this is how Kushina feels when it comes to Naruto and girls? Perhaps I should stop making fun of her. Once I have finished the paperwork, Tenten will be our daughter in everything but name. I can't let her get drawn into that madness. After how the Senju were decimated, I refuse to take any chances with those I care about. If she carries the Namikaze name she would instantly be a big target, for people worse than the boys who'd get interested in her over the years. I've seen how insane people get, trying to stir up their daughters to get close to my boy. I can't let that happen to Ten-chan.'_

Instead of going into 'overbearing-parent mode', as he dubbed it in his wife, Minato kissed Tenten on the forehead and wished her good night and sweet dreams. At least she finally called him Tou-san. ' _Much better than that stiff 'Otou-sama'. Made me sound like a Hyuga… Then again, me being the Hokage would probably be a matter of reverence to her. And I don't get the chance to spend as much time with the kids as Kushina does.'_

While closing the door, Minato vowed to arrange more time off in his schedule. He even considered using the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu on a more regular basis, but the feedback from the jutsu was rather straining. He already had the feeling he had too many thoughts crammed into one head, never mind doubling it.

"At least when they sleep they are somewhat tolerable."

"Yes, they…" Minato jumped, starting his reply without thinking, only now noticing the little nine-tailed fox behind him. "Don't sneak up on me like that, please."

"Don't blame me when you're too tired to pay attention," Kurama grumbled. "And don't close that door. Or lower the doorknob, which would be good too. And no jokes about my size…"

"I wouldn't dare," Minato smiled, amused by the idea of making a cat flap in the door for the tiny bijuu. "You don't sound too fresh yourself either, Kurama-san."

"Hours of torment- accursed children treating me like some kind of pet," Kurama spat. "I would've torn them all asunder, if only… Bah, that bastard warned me that I'd not be able to use much chakra, but this size is just infuriating."

"Just be glad you were dealing with the children, and not their parents," Minato sighed. "I've wasted a lot of time on all the complaints, demands, and questions that have flooded my desk ever since Naruto started carrying you through town. I'm glad you're as small as you are, or we would have had a lot of stupid people trying to kill you…"

"Beats getting hugged," Kurama sighed.

"If you wish to terminate this clone-like form, I would rather see you do it in a way that doesn't put my son in danger. He might have made some kind of strange port into the Saji Fujin (Surge Consuming Seal) in which you are held, but I doubt you could just create another body when this one gets annulled."

"I'm not planning to lose my freedom. I just need to make sure that the kid can sustain more chakra, and none of those fools would be trying anything against me."

"Perhaps, Kurama, perhaps you'll see that not every human is as evil as you seem to think. Perhaps Naruto-chan can sway your heart."

"When hell freezes over," the tiny fox scoffed. "Goodnight, human."

"Sleep well, Kurama," Minato opened the door for the little bijuu, so that it could rest near Naruto. Minato didn't fully understand how it was done, but this bunshin-like form did imply that Kurama couldn't stray too far from Naruto. Although he had noticed that the fox had some oddly protective traits as well, such as when Naruto nearly crashed into Kushina as she was holding a cup of boiling-hot tea. It made Minato wonder if the creature truly was as evil as he had presumed, and what could have happened for the creature to act like this.

It was a headache for another day. First, he had some overdue dinner awaiting his attention. Minato heard his growling stomach agree with that idea.

* * *

While Naruto and Tenten grew up in a life of happiness and safety, there was another child in the world who shared Naruto's burden, yet was treated very differently. Where Naruto was practically the little prince of Konoha, Fu stood lower in society than the poorest beggar. Where Naruto was accepted (although in many cases with reservation), Fu was shunned. His days were filled with education and pranks, facing punishments such as being grounded (a disaster to him) or a forced abstinence of ramen (the worst possible disaster). However, the little girl from Takigakure wasn't allowed to have any fun. Fun, to her, was finishing training and not ending up being reprimanded or punished for not doing well enough.

In the years which Naruto spent as a normal child, Fu was drilled to become the village's defensive weapon. She wasn't loved, nor cared for. She was a weapon, an object- not a person. Despite Shibuki succeeding his father some years after Fu had been 'damned', the jonin assigned to her were barely worth being called teachers. Her 'training' was often just a way for them to vent their anger and fear, only a few steps removed from torture.

The Nanabi had claimed quite a few lives over the years, especially in the vicinity of the higher-ranking shinobi of the village. After all, a jinchuriki was only chosen from a group of people whose allegiance the village was assured. Like Fu, who had been related to one of the wealthiest families, many of her predecessors had been children from the most powerful shinobi families.

While Shibuki meant well, especially considering that he too lost an uncle to Chomei, he was also powerless. Fu even went so far as to recognize him as the only friend she had, but Shibuki wasn't born with an excess of courage in the first place, and he wasn't that talented as a shinobi either. While being a leader in name, it was the council of elders who truly ruled Takigakure. Among those, there were none who had any good intentions regarding poor Fu. At best, they viewed her as a useful (yet dangerous) weapon, and at worst they saw her as a pest.

There was one among them, however, who was different.

In an unexpected turn of events, her uncle had suddenly gotten his hands on a substantial amount of money. His sister, Aoi, the woman who had once been Fu's mother, had found out about that money before she left. Thinking that he had stolen it, Aoi had invested the entire sum in order to cover it up, setting several conditions that the man had to fulfill if he ever wanted it back. Abstaining from alcohol was one of those conditions. Another one was that he would serve as an extension of his sister as Aoi and her husband had been unable to stay any longer in the village which had 'claimed the life of their daughter'.

It had hurt terribly when Fu had found out how and why her parents had deserted her. On the other hand, if they thought like that, Fu was glad that she hadn't really known them. Fu didn't like humans, but humans like that were really the sort she'd stay away from. When she was in pain, when she was devastated, Chomei was there for her. He treated her better than any human did.

It didn't change the fact that her parents abandoned her. Much like them, her uncle stayed away from her. When not inebriated, the man was as shrewd as his sister. With clever usage of the investments she had made on his behalf, the man had quickly climbed within the society of Takigakure. He even got a spot in the council. Fu suspected that he had been the one who had lobbied to force her to live on the edge of the village. He was ashamed of her, at least as far as she had understood from Shibuki's words. But Shibuki did not know about the deal which Shibuki's father had made with the man, which had resulted in Fu becoming a jinchuriki in return for the man receiving a substantial amount of money. Despite having invested it well on his behalf, his sister had never divined its origins.

It was a deal that the man never wanted to get out in the open, as it would permanently ruin his reputation, and undoubtedly result in his sister stripping him of all his wealth as well. Thus he also tried to push away Fu as far away from him as possible, and sought to permanently remove her if he got the chance. No one would respect a man who had sold his own niece. His need to hide that particular fact was now a reason for him to smile thoughtfully, not voicing protests like the other members of the council were currently doing.

"That is what the Yondaime Hokage offered." Jiraiya of the Sannin stood in the room, addressing Shibuki and his five councilors. Fu had not understood why she had been called to this meeting, never having attended such a thing before, but now she knew.

The realization made her scowl. Takigakure was not a nice place to live, but it was the only place she knew as 'home'. Bad as it was, it was still a familiar place.

"Why would we surrender our jinchuriki to you?" she heard one of the council exclaim. By now, it wasn't even insulting to Fu to be seen as a tool. The only one who acknowledged her as a human was Chomei, ironically. The Bijuu was her only friend, the only reason why she had endured the solitude. Personally, she even preferred not to be seen as a human, as she had grown little more than contempt for her own species.

"I'd suggest listening to the man," the second guest drawled.

Fu wondered why the man wore a mask without eye holes. _'Is he blind? And why did his chakra confuse Chomei so much?'_

"Is that a threat?" another councilman bristled.

"You can take my words in whatever way you want them," the masked man shrugged. "Do you really think your secrecy is going to protect you? Jiraiya and I barely tried, yet we easily pierced your defenses. How do you think you are going to stop other S-ranked shinobi? Ones who do intend to harm you, unlike Jiraiya and me."

"We will not fall that easily."

"Care to try?" the masked man laughed. "I'll face your strongest jonin, and if I lose we will leave and never tell anyone about your village's location."

"Oi, you can't just go wild again," a young red- or perhaps dark pink-haired girl spoke up. Fu hadn't even noticed the girl at first. She seemed to be around eleven or twelve years old, and sat behind the masked man, from her point of view. His hair had a darker shade of red, but Fu presumed that these two were related, making her feel somewhat envious.

"Meh, I won't kill anyone," the man replied indifferently. The blank stare from the girl made him laugh. "Not this time. We're not going to repeat Kirigakure all over again, right?"

"Talking to the bastard really turned into a huge clusterfuck," the girl nodded while sighing wearily. "Why don't you let the old perv do it instead-"

"Hey!"

"Show some respect, Tayuya," the masked man snickered, completely ignoring the flabbergasted council. "But she is right," he turned towards Shibuki. "For the sake of fairness, I suppose it would be better if you picked five jonin."

That outraged the councilors even more than the previous challenge. No military power liked being looked down upon- it was an insult worse than the previous offer had been.

"Kozui," Jiraiya warned, using the codename they had previously agreed upon. "We are not here for conflict."

"We told them there is a group after the jinchuriki, we told them the group is capable of forming a serious threat to any of the five greater villages, so they must realize that they will never be capable of protecting themselves from the wrath of Akatsuki."

"As if they'd risk themselves to protect me," Fu chose to interject, her voice dripping with sarcasm. She looked at the man who had once been her uncle. "They would sell me out at the first sign of trouble." Well, he would, even if the others didn't want it at first.

"Be silent, _creature_ ," the former uncle hissed.

Jiraiya had to step towards 'Kozui', grabbing his arm, to stop him from doing something stupid. "Think before you act, dammit," Jiraiya grunted at him, before turning to the councilors again. "We think that our offer is fair. But if you decline and keep treating the girl like that, you will not have the full protection of Konohagakure, nor will you be able to expect that we will renew the current trade treaties. I would prefer not to resort to these sorts of methods, as they lie close to blackmail, but the threat of Akatsuki is too great for anyone to ignore."

"You shouldn't forget to add that my hothead of a Tou-san isn't tied to Konaha," Tayuya smirked. "It wouldn't be very healthy if you guys keep mistreating that girl…"

"Konoha has a jinchuriki of Fu's age, doesn't it," Shibuki spoke up for the first time, his statement catching Fu's attention.

She had never thought of that possibility, that she wouldn't be all alone in Konoha like she was here.

"Is it your intention to train Fu alongside the other jinchuriki?"

"Yes," Jiraiya nodded. "Like the scroll stated: young Fu would retain her allegiance to Takigakure, but can receive education from Konohagakure. That means she can enroll in the academy and undergo the same training as Naruto. Konoha has experience dealing with the strongest of the Bijuu, the Kyuubi, and we would like to use that knowledge to train Fu properly. No offense intended, but last I checked Takigakure has never once succeeded at keeping their jinchuriki alive for more than twenty years, and none of her predecessors have gained a proper measure of control over the Nanabi's chakra."

"This girl is different, though," the masked man remarked, his mask turned towards Fu as if he was 'looking' at her. "But it will not be enough. Nor fast enough. Not if Akatsuki will move against her. I presume you people have heard the stories about Kakuzu?"

"Kakuzu? That old traitor? He must have died years ago." One of the councilors shifted uncomfortably on his seat.

"You already know that is not true," Jiraiya shook his head as if he was disappointed. "So why would you attempt to lie? Akatsuki is filled with shinobi like him."

Still, even though they acknowledged the fact that someone like Minato or Jiraiya would be capable of protecting the girl where they could not, none of the councilors were willing to send the girl away. She was their weapon, their last line of defense. If Akatsuki truly was as strong as these men claimed, then they would give them Fu, and if not… well, like Jiraiya had already said: the Nanabi had always caused problems, yet never really given any return on their investments.

"Yes."

One simple word, but it silenced them all. Not often did Shibuki speak against them, and never as decisive as this time. "Shibuki-sama?" one uttered.

"Yes, we will agree. Our trade line will continue to flourish, and in the case of an attack, Konohagakure will protect us. They are stronger than Fu is right now, so their offer only holds advantages."

"But Iwaga-"

"Konoha might have a bad relationship with Iwagakure, but we don't have fond memories of them either. Or do I need to remind you of the last time the Tsuchikage sent an envoy? I remember my father going out to meet them…"

"But even still, we can't just surrender our-"

"Shibuki-sama is right. This proposition only benefits us," Fu heard her uncle agree. Of course, the man saw this as a golden opportunity to get rid of her. Shipping her off to Konoha would divert the ire of Akatsuki to Konoha rather than risk the safety of Takigakure.

"S-Shibuki… no…"

"Fu, I'm sorry," he looked into her pleading orange eyes. "But you heard them… they offer you a better life."

"But this is my home. You… You just want to get rid of me!" the eleven year-old girl exclaimed. She jumped up, intending to run out of the room, but the masked man got hold of her first. She hadn't even seen him move, and by the looks of it, none of the councilmen had, either.

" **FuFu",** Chomei's voice startled the girl more than the man had. She had never heard him speak this earnestly. **"Follow that man. Their village can hardly be worse than this one, can it? But that man feels odd… He has been in contact… I can feel Isobu's chakra on him. And Kurama's. And unless I am mistaken even Shukaku's."**

' _What are you saying? That he is some kind of jinchuriki?'_

" **No. No, he doesn't have a bijuu sealed within him, so he isn't a jinchuriki. Perhaps he sealed my brethren, perhaps he fought against them, but I can sense traces of their chakra on him, just like other Bijuu would be able to sense my chakra on those who are often near you. But… I can't get a proper read on him. He's strange. Very strange."**

' _So this whole Akatsuki thing is a lie, and they are the ones who hunt the Bijuu?'_ Fu thought suspiciously.

" **It doesn't seem likely. He is different. I haven't felt anything like him before. But his intent doesn't seem to be bad. Except for Isobu, none of my brethren's lingering chakra feels like they intended to harm him. Perhaps this man was involved with the fall of the Mizukage?"**

"You know that staring isn't considered polite," the masked man chuckled. "But I presume you felt that my chakra is unusual?" He didn't need to see her nod to know it was true. "I am an Uzumaki. One of the few who survived the fall of Uzushiogakure, and my blood grants me some peculiar abilities such as healing people by imbuing them with my chakra. The same technique can also be reversed, using it to absorb chakra." He was so accustomed to lying about his origins and abilities that no one even knew he was just making it up on the spot- except for Tayuya, and she wisely kept her mouth shut.

Fu didn't know any of that. Did he know that she had been conversing with Chomei? Even Chomei didn't know, and it left Fu scared and uncertain. If his words were true, than it could explain Chomei's remarks regarding his chakra. She looked at Shibuki, who still had that sad grimace. She realized that he knew that he hurt her by accepting the proposal, and that he didn't like doing it, yet still…

It seemed like this path truly was the best option left to her. Like Chomei said, it wasn't like she would abandon anyone here. If Shibuki, her only human friend, thought this was the best option, then who was she to disagree?

"Fine," Fu sighed resignedly. She still didn't like leaving home, didn't like to give her uncle what he wanted. But what choice did she have?

Her orange eyes flashed up, wide in surprise, when the masked man ruffled through her hair. She could feel the oddly comforting chakra through his touch. "Don't worry too much, kiddo. Naruto has the same sort of idiotic personality as Chomei, so I bet you'll come to like him."

"H-How… How do you know…"

"That trash-talking fox has been surprisingly cooperative after Tou-san beta'ed his seal," the red-haired girl approached Fu with a big smile. "Hi, I'm Tayuya. Friends?"

"F-Friends?"

"Don't look at me that dumbly, you know what a friend is, right?" Tayuya frowned.

"Yuya-chan, give her some space."

"Oi, I'm not a darn kid anymore, Tou-san!"

"You certainly act like one, in spite of your foul mouth," Jiraiya snickered. "So, gentlemen, if you please would read and sign the agreement before noon tomorrow, we will take the documents and Fu-chan to Konoha afterwards. So, the most important question that remains: is there a good brothel in the village?"

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

* * *

Yup, there was a time-skip in this chapter. Cute as they all are as little kids, I suppose it's best to move things past that stage. I've been thinking about this story a lot, and so far I wasn't really satisfied with the things I had in mind. Originally, I wanted to do more with Naruto's time as a child, but… well, what I wrote and what I had planned to write felt rather aimless, filler-ish. His bonds are developed enough to continue. They're students from this point on, busy with their final year at the academy, looking forward to graduate and become genin! But… how will Fu fit in that environment?

I thank the ever patient **Illuminated**! And I thank you if you leave **reviews**! Seriously, if there are things which you think need to be improved, please tell. Well, constructive criticism at least. Getting told to jump in front of a train (one of the friendlier things said in guest reviews) isn't exactly useful- apart from making me smile at how sad some people become when hiding under the anonymity of the internet.

For the record, Illuminated doesn't jump in front of trains either, though he does want to go Ice Bear on such people. Don't make him go Ice Bear!

* * *

-Z-

* * *

 **Additional notes and thoughts regarding Fu:**

I think that the character Fu is a very interesting case. While most of her character is left unexplored, we have seen quite a bit on Takigakure in the anime, and she is one of the few of which we have gotten any information after her capture: like the remarks Deidara made, that Taki was happy to get rid of Fu, and that Fu despised humans. Still, that is manga!Fu, not the anime version which I'd like to call filler!Fu.

Because, in sharp contrast to those statements in manga, we got the way the anime team depicted her. While I usually take the stance that the anime team is too stupid to actually read and comprehend the manga (or simply doesn't give a damn about the story) to take their opinions seriously, I did find her bubbly character rather adorable. Sure, it was a ripoff from Naruto in how she acted, but I thought she was kinda funny. Still, with her background, it simply makes no sense to depict a 'bubbly' Fu in this story, just as it made zero sense to say that Hokage Naruto is 'too busy' with his paperwork, while he is essentially a one-man-army, or to say that Sasuke, who nearly destroyed the world to avenge his family, has been ignoring his new family for a decade… Studio Pierrot is idiotic, but Kishimoto has his fair share of stupidity too.

But I digress. Instead of picking either manga!Fu or filler!Fu, I have mixed the given information from both sources. Manga is what Kishimoto wrote himself, so obviously that takes precedence, it being the primary source. So 'my' Fu hates humans, like stated in the chapter, and I expanded her origins while staying as close to canon as I thought was realistic for the Naruto universe, for instance with her childhood. At the same time, I intend to keep the act-first-think-later mentality from filler!Fu. I do retain filler!Fu's wish to make friends, but my take on Fu will be much more restrained (distrustful, to be more specific) than in the anime, more envious as well. It simply made no sense to me that a half-traumatized girl would just jump at random strangers and ask them to be her friend, especially when the random stranger is named Kakuzu…

Now that I think about it, Kishimoto managed to make Naruto accept the murderer of his parents, even getting pissed at the fact that the bastard gets killed. Perhaps Studio Pierrot simply has a more accurate view of Kishimoto's disturbed mindset than I do?


	11. Rivalry

_Well now… this story sure kicked up some popularity ever since I revealed the secret behind this fic. Hopefully this'll mean Apophenia will generate more reviews too? Though I guess I should've expected a lower amount of reviews after putting the fic on a hiatus for a few months- there must've been a lot who abandoned the story in that time. Let's see if I can earn their trust back!_

 _Anyway, to those of you who haven't seen it yet, I advise you to read my other fic:_ _ **Pareidolia**_ _. Although this isn't a prerequisite for reading this story: Apophenia should remain a story that can be read independently, if you prefer to do such. But some mysteries of Apophenia will make sense in the greater context of the story, yes._

* * *

 **Apophenia**

 **Rivalry**

* * *

Summer vacations were the best time of the year. The first day after, however, were the absolute worst, no contest. But he had no choice. ' _Dammit Kaa-san, you really have too much influence on Tenten-neechan,'_ Naruto could only grumble as he was dragged along. Not that Tenten was all that happy, but it had to be done. Being the practical one, she had been tasked with ensuring that Naruto would attend class. Not to mention that he had to behave himself. Kushina was not intending to be called to the academy again, finding that her son had somehow rigged every classroom with paint bombs.

"Naruto-kun!"

"Namikaze-sama!"

His expression darkened with every cry. "Dammit, why didn't you listen, Nee-chan?"

"We can't be late the first day. Iruka-sensei will send Kaa-san a letter if you pull a stunt like that again. Remember first day of school last year?" A week without ramen had followed, so Tenten's question had been rhetorical. Naruto had a terrible sloppy memory, except for ramen-related things.

"Seeing him get in trouble is amusing, though."

"Thanks for nothing, Kurama…" Naruto said dryly, his eyes rolling up to look at the tiny bijuu atop his head. "Perhaps I should stop by at the kindergarten class, so that the kids can meet 'Ku-chan'?" the silence that followed made Naruto smirk.

"You're early, Dobe."

"Just shut it, Teme," Naruto glared back at Uchiha Sasuke. Tenten sighed, mumbling something which sounded a lot like 'not this routine again', and stalked off, going into the classroom to find a good seat. This time, Naruto was the first to give in. The corners of his mouth twitched, and he began to laugh. "Yeah, yeah, you win. Stop smirking already."

"You lack control, as always," Sasuke remarked finely. "Ready for our last year?"

"This time I'm going to be the top of class," Naruto smiled. "In the four years since we are taught the real shinobi stuff we ended up in a tie."

"What makes you think that you're the one who wins with three to two?"

"You're too arrogant, Teme."

"And you're a clueless dreamer, Dobe."

Iruka sighed when he saw Naruto and Sasuke enter class. The Uchiha boy could be a bit pensive at times, but the odd bond with the Namikaze always seemed to cheer him up. Rivals at first, the two had grown a mutual respect which had evolved into friendship. Although they never stopped trying to outperform the other, something which often led to troubles.

Meanwhile, Yamanaka Ino was looking hopefully at the two, even though she knew she didn't stand a chance. It was inevitable that Naruto took his seat next his sister, even though Tenten didn't carry the Namikaze name, and Sasuke took the seat next to him. Same as last year. And the year before. And the one before that. "Damn. And I made sure I'd come early and take their favorite spots," she muttered. She had seats in the back, where Naruto had gone to last time the order of seats had been changed. He liked sitting at the back of the room, where the teachers couldn't see him sleeping.

But of course the boy only had eyes for Tenten. "You still haven't given up?"

"Can it, Forehead," Ino grumbled. "I'm never giving up on Naruto-kun."

"Sasuke-kun is much more handsome," her best friend stared dreamily at the raven-haired boy. "And he's the best at ninjutsu."

"Naruto-kun is unbeatable at taijutsu," Ino retorted. "Are we still having the same old discussion on which of the two is best?" Sakura grinned back, both knowing the answer. They'd never give up.

Only a few seats away from the bickering friends sat another kunoichi, somewhat dejected that she hadn't followed up on her plan. ' _I knew I should've taken the seat on the other side of Tenten-san. I'm such a coward,'_ Hyuga Hinata sighed. She had walked into the room with that idea firmly planted in her mind, but chickened out at the final moment. The idea of talking to Naruto made her lose her confidence, even if the friendly Tenten was seated between them.

"Settle down class," Iruka tried to calm everyone down. "Silence. Hey, pay attention. Did vacation make you all forget about order? I said: SILENCE!"

"Woohooo, the first big-head jutsu of the year," Naruto cheered. "…I'll shut up, Sensei, I know," he slumped down in his chair, noticing the man's glare.

"Yet you always do it again, Naruto," Iruka grimaced.

"He's a blundering fool," the Kyuubi chipped in, making the entire class (minus Ino and Hinata) laugh at Naruto's expense. Kurama had his one-foot-high appearance, which allowed him to stay near Naruto while the boy attended class, although he could grow bigger now that Naruto was (finally) improving his chakra reserves and control.

"His blunders aside, we have a guest today," Iruka announced. The door opened at his cue, and a tall white-haired shinobi stepped in.

"Ero-sennin!" the entire class exclaimed.

Jiraiya groaned, quickly abandoning the idea of striking his unique pose, and glared at a certain young Namikaze. "I didn't teach them that, Ero-sennin, honestly," Naruto lied unconvincingly while trying not to laugh. Seeing the whole class use the nickname he had given his perverted, wandering godfather had been a brilliant idea, and the look at the goofy man's face was one of which Naruto had wanted to make a picture. Tsunade would've paid solid gold to see it.

"Why do I not believe you, Gaki?"

"The same reason as when I don't believe you when you say that you are writing quality books?"

"Naruto, stop being a smartass!" Iruka yelled. "My apologies, Jiraiya-sama."

"Meh, I could've expected it. That kid doesn't have the brains to know when he faces people who deserve his respect," Jiraiya huffed, childishly sticking out his tongue when Naruto protested. Not that Naruto could go on, as Tenten had grown tired of her brother's antics. "I see Kushina taught her a thing or two," Jiraiya mumbled, shuddering when he saw how she smacked Naruto on the head. "Ah well, not that he'll feel it, the bonehead."

"Jiraiya-sama, I believe you were here to introduce a guest?" Iruka pinched his nose. The man was one of the most famous shinobi, rumored to be even stronger than the Sandaime, and yet he acted less mature than the average student that Iruka got in his homeroom class.

"Guest? Oh, yes, my guest!" Jiraiya laughed lightheartedly. "Come in, girly."

A slender, almost malnourished-looking, tan-skinned girl entered. Naruto was surprised to see her spiky mint-green hair, but when he saw her eyes he somehow felt pity. Those eyes had, in his opinion, the perfect color: orange. But they were also dull, as if the girl was too tired or disinterested. For some reason Naruto got the feeling she tried to keep her distance from others, like how she always kept a few feet away from both Jiraiya and Iruka, or how she didn't look at any of the students. Naruto knew very well he wasn't the smartest, but he wasn't stupid either. He hated books, but he was perceptive enough to compensate for his lack of book knowledge.

She had a rather daring choice of clothing, with a sleeveless white midriff shirt with fishnet armor underneath, long white armlets, and fishnet shorts with a short white apron skirt over it. "Takigakure," Tenten mumbled, making Naruto realize that the hitai-ate she wore on her right arm didn't carry the Konoha symbol. That said, why was a girl her age wearing that thing, a sign she already was a kunoichi, while Iruka told them she would join them in class?

It made no sense to Naruto, which was not an uncommon event in itself, but this time it was definitely weirder than usual.

"Maybe Fu-chan can kick your ass in taijutsu, Gaki," Jiraiya laughed before leaving the room. Not through the door, mind you. No, such a common exit was below the mighty sennin. He opened the window and leapt out.

Sasuke frowned at the statement, and looked at Naruto. "Don't look at me, Tou-san didn't say anything about this, did he?" Naruto whispered, looking at Tenten, who didn't know about this either.

"Well, it would be convenient if we had someone who could spar with Naruto," Iruka shared his surprise at the seemingly bold statement. Fu just took it as the usual insults she received in Taki, expecting that it was a slight at her skill, and that she was being compared to what seemed to be the class clown. "Fu-san, why don't you take the seat up there? Can you stand up, Tenten-san?"

The mint-haired girl didn't utter a word, only nodded before she walked up and took the empty seat next to Tenten. Not even a 'hi' or 'who are you?', making Tenten a bit uncertain as to what she was supposed to say. Fu was the newcomer, after all. The blank stare into nothingness wasn't making Fu any easier to approach either. Still, when Iruka started (much to Naruto's disgust) a class on the history of inter-village relations between Takigakure and Konohagakure, Tenten offered the girl to share books. Fu didn't seem to have anything with her, having dropped the cylindrical… well, what was the thing? To Tenten it looked like a big scroll, wrapped in red linen which was probably water-resistant. ' _Did she seal everything she owns in a scroll or something?'_

* * *

Her first impression: she didn't like it.

While Fu had been happy to make a friend, of sorts, when she met Tayuya, Fu didn't really expect much from this group of upper-class twits. Tayuya had been a bit of an oddball, someone who had basically been unwanted until the masked man, who had introduced himself with the code name Kozui, had adopted her. The red haired girl seemed to understand Fu to some degree, and never acted against her due to her status as jinchuriki. Even laughed at it when Fu cautiously asked her about it.

Still, 'Kozui' and Tayuya had travelled in another direction, intending to meet someone called 'Pakura', leaving Fu with Jiraiya when the four had gotten close enough to Konoha to know that they'd be safe. Travelling with someone as famous, even in Takigakure, as Jiraiya had been an interesting experience. The man had no shame whatsoever, even when they passed the night in a nearby hotel she had found him the following morning, completely drunk. Or when the travelled near a place which had a hot spring, and he had to take one of his breaks for 'research', which had resulted in him getting chased by an angry mob of women twice. Jiraiya had never realized that Fu had been the one to alert her fellow women.

She didn't like perverts that much.

But other than that he was a funny person. Fu couldn't remember the last time she had laughed, but the man actually had made a smile a few times. He was easier to understand, Fu had first thought, than the strangely distant Kozui, but she had soon realized that she was wrong. Their entire travel had been an assessment, even though Fu hadn't realized it until the last few days. Jiraiya had shown his intelligence by uncovering her abilities and personality into details, with even having realized how closely she interacted with Chomei. Without even a single spar Jiraiya knew about her inhuman strength, for instance.

It confused her when 'Kozui' said that she'd find a good sparring partner in Naruto. She was used to train against jonin, and even then she mostly refrained from punching with full power. Not that they couldn't endure it, but Fu knew that they would feel it. And when she managed to make them feel pain, even if it was just a busted toe nail, Fu would get that pain returned to her in tenfold.

And what did she find in this class? A blond goofball, unruly and brattish, who seemed to be a spoiled weakling. How could a kid like him be a serious sparring partner? He'd be squished in one tiny itty bitty punch…

Unless his bijuu had granted him power, just like Chomei had strengthened her. She had seen the tiny fox looking at her for minutes, before it smiled mockingly. Now the tiny fox was sleeping on top of the desk. Fu had no clue why the Kyuubi had a tiny form like that, or how it could be outside its jinchuriki. Chomei was confused as well. And jealous too, Fu noticed.

' _I'm sorry Chomei, I don't know how to do that. I'll ask Jiraiya-sama how that is done.'_

" **Why not ask Naruto himself, Fufu?"**

' _You saw him. He's… He's an idiot, a spoiled, clueless, inconsiderate idiot,'_ she scowled a little, enough to attract the attention from the overly curious girl who sat between her and Naruto.

" **You have a bad habit of always expecting the worst. Not everyone is bad, Fufu."**

' _I know, Chomei. But he's a human. Hell, when Jiraiya said he would be like me, I didn't expect a spoiled weakling like him,'_ Fu grumpily cut off the connection to Chomei. Not that she was angry at him, no, but rather because she was disappointed. For the first time in her life she met someone like herself, and her expectations had been… too high.

' _What did I expect? Son of a Kage, growing up in a village which doesn't shun him... he is nothing like me.'_

* * *

"Well, that was an interesting class," Sasuke frowned.

"Inter-village history sure is an interesting subject," Tenten looked at him, sarcasm dripping of her voice. "What do you think about the new girl? She seems rather annoyed, almost angry. I'm not sure if I should have tried to talk to her or not."

"She didn't look angry, but sad," Naruto disagreed, ignoring Kurama who was lazing around on top of his head. "I'm not sure why she got in our class, but… oh crap."

Sasuke noticed how Naruto paled, the instant before the screeching started. Tenten pinched the bridge of her nose in exasperation, while Kurama decided to jump from Naruto to Tenten. "Fangirls," Sasuke groaned.

"I'd almost forget how annoying breaks could be," Naruto turned to look at the Uchiha, only to find… "Leaves? Son of a… when did he learn shunshin? Nee-chan? Not you too?! Ah dammit, why does my chakra control still suck so much?"

Fu watched her fellow jinchuriki scram, apparently terrified by incoming horde (led by Ino). At first she thought that he was under attack, but he wasn't… well, not the sort of attack Fu was expecting, at least. They did want to 'attack', but in a different sense of the word. She couldn't wrap her mind around it, how could a jinchuriki be treated like this? She saw him in his soft orange colored pants, black t-shirt with some kind of red swirly symbol, she saw him move with a confidence with confused her. A confidence which she even envied a little, had she been honest with herself. It made no sense to her, how could a jinchuriki be like him?

The way he talked made him look either goofy or just plain stupid to her, but even that wouldn't be enough for people like them to be confident. Chomei had told her a thing or two about how the previous jinchuriki had been treated, shared his knowledge with regard to the treatment of jinchuriki in other villages. But Naruto didn't fit any of it.

"He is no real jinchuriki. He is a fake. He doesn't act like one, he isn't treated like one," she muttered venomously. "He is nothing like me."

* * *

"When did you guys master the Shunshin no Jutsu?"

"How the hell did you get up here so fast without it?" Sasuke countered. Naruto showed him his bone-encased fingers. "…you wrecked the wall just to get up? Iruka-sensei is going to be mad again, Dobe."

"Shut it, Teme."

"Idiots," Tenten shook her head. "Here," she threw Naruto a little bag. "You forgot your bento again, so Kaa-san gave it to me."

"Thanks Tenten-neechan," Naruto beamed. "So I take it that Kaa-chan taught you the Shunshin?"

"We can't all be educated by a former Hokage," Tenten smirked. "And I wasn't planning to lag behind you two. Kaa-chan and Yugao-neechan really did all they could, so this time I'm going to kick you both down, and I'll be the top of the class!"

"Right," Sasuke chuckled. "Not while you keep sucking at ninjutsu like that."

"Hey! I got better at fuinjutsu! I'm planning to incorporate it in my fighting style. Kaa-san said there are plenty of techniques which make it easy to coming sealing scrolls with my throwing arts. And Yugao-neechan said my kenjutsu is improving," she added proudly.

"Damn, I suppose I'm going to be playing target again," Naruto slumped down.

"Don't whine, meatbag, it is a good test for your defenses," Kurama snickered. Tenten had unsealed a raw steak on which the little fox was nibbling, as cheerful as the grumpy bijuu could be.

"And Itachi taught you?"

"No, Tou-san did," Sasuke shook his head. "Tou-san and Itachi-niisan had some sort of argument… ever since I'm not seeing Nii-san as much as I used to, but Tou-san is training me more regularly now."

"You still haven't figured out who Itachi's girlfriend is?" Naruto smirked.

"…I doubt the argument was about that," Sasuke said pensively. "Seems like your faction of fangirls has grown this year. I guess you do beat me at something other than taijutsu for the first time?"

"…"

"Ino isn't as bad," Tenten smirked deviously. "Why don't you just say yes when she asks you for a date?"

"Date? Me? With Ino-chan?"

"Ohoho, you're referring to her as 'chan'?" she loved to play the elder, and responsible, sister, but she could tease him as much as he teased her. Even if there was a slight difference in age. "Just think about it: if the other girls knew that Ino took you off the market, they'd stop chasing you. Who know, perhaps they'll start chasing Sasuke?"

"You're being troublesome," Sasuke grimaced. "Last thing I need is to see that brainless horde expand. Let them chase the Dobe for all I care."

"You could date Sakura to be free from it," Tenten suggested innocently. "Ahhh, so the mighty Uchiha-sama _can_ look embarrassed?" she poked at his faintly blushing cheeks.

"How would you feel if Shikamaru started hunting you down like a hungry tiger chases after its prey, Nee-chan?"

"For once I agree with the Dobe," the embarrassed Uchiha nodded. "So, want to make bets if the new girl can really stand up against Naruto in a taijutsu spar?"

"Come on, you know Nii-san wouldn't lose to anyone," Tenten laughed. "But what are we betting?"

* * *

Iruka had left the supervision of the rest of the class to Mizuki, his fellow teacher, while he turned to the two students who would likely create the greatest amount of trouble.

"Fu-san, are you sure you wish to continue with this?"

"Jiraiya-sama said he could take a punch, even one of mine," the mint-haired jinchuriki grunted.

"Iruka-sensei, are you sure we should trust Ero-sennin's judgment?" Naruto questioned. "You know that Baa-chan practically forbade me to follow his advice. And Kaa-chan was rather adamant about it too, although she never told me why. Is it because Ero-sennin writes those dirty novels?"

"Naruto…" Iruka sighed. How was he going to explain the nature of Jiraiya's _crimes_ to a boy like him? Naruto was too much a child to comprehend. By contrast, Sasuke and Tenten were the more mature ones. "I think we can follow the judgment of Jiraiya-sama in this case."

The Yondaime had barely disclosed any information about the girl, only a short note which stated that he wasn't supposed to let Fu spar against anyone except Naruto, and that he had to focus on her chakra control. By the time both Naruto and Fu stood in the 'ring', most of the other spars had been paused. In part because people were interested, and partly because a portion of the girls had to cheer for Naruto. Even Mizuki was looking on with more interest than he usually showed.

"Commence!"

Fu propelled from her position, firmly planting her right fist against Naruto's jaw. She had spent an entire journey with the hopes of finding someone like herself, and instead she met him. She was beyond frustrated. So, she wasn't holding back much.

Which was evident when Naruto flew away and crashed into the trees at the edge of the clearing. It was only sheer luck that he hadn't crashed into any of the spectators. Fu's orange eyes widened in shock. When Jiraiya had told her that Naruto could take a punch, even one of hers, she had believed him. "Is he… I didn't mean to…"

"Wow!" Naruto suddenly jumped up, completely unharmed. "That's AWESOME!" he ran back to the ring, ignoring the flabbergasted looks of everyone except Sasuke and Tenten. Only those two had seen Naruto's spars with people like Sarutobi Hiruzen and Maito Gai. Not that Naruto could even lay a finger on them, as they were far faster than he had ever been, but they were among the few who weren't bothered by the weight of Naruto's fists.

A fact of which Fu was unaware. She only saw someone running towards her with the intent to make her pay for the punch she landed, and that was usually a very bad thing for her. Her reflex, therefore, was to immediately swing another first at Naruto, who ducked under it while smiling widely, as if he was having the happiest day of his life.

His cheerful grin was one of the last things Fu remembered when she found herself stretched out on the ground. Naruto was hovering over her, worry showing on his face. "…back so that you wouldn't be hurt, but I should've held back more, ya know, I'm sorry that I…" she barely processed his words as he rattled on and on.

' _Crap. One punch and I am like this? What the hell?'_

" **He is strong. His body is hard as steel. You should have realized that when you punched him, Fufu-chan,"** Chomei reproached her. He was providing her with enough chakra to recover quickly. "Shut up," Fu didn't know whether she was talking to Naruto or Chomei, or both, but she couldn't give a damn at the moment.

Naruto backed away, looking a bit pained.

"Namikaze Naruto wins the m-"

"No," Fu snapped. "I'm okay."

"A-are you sure?" Naruto hesitated. "Iruka-sensei, you know that I… well, it is better I don't continue. She'd get hurt again."

"What kind of shinobi is scared to hurt his opponent?" Fu hated this. She had one thing in her life on which she could rely, one thing she could be proud of. And she wasn't about to let him take that away. Anyone but him!

"Meatbag," Kurama somehow popped up next to Naruto. "Start out defensively, so that Buggirl can adjust."

"Adjust?" Naruto blinked. "You sure she can?" he saw the little fox nod. "Ah well, if you say so."

Naruto never had much confidence in his speed. Sasuke was usually faster and more nimble. Tenten seemed to keep up with him too, although the girl lacked the stamina to sustain that speed for long. But Naruto was mostly used to fighting jonin, sannin, or the old former Kage. Fu was stronger than any other of their age group, Naruto had realized that when her fist first hit him. But she wasn't really _that_ fast. Not fast enough to surprise Naruto, at least.

Exactly as Kurama had suggested, Naruto leaned on defense. She landed a few hits which he actually felt a little, but it wasn't anything major. And Fu knew. It frustrated her. She was hated and despised, but the girl had been valued for her physical prowess. Her 'one redeeming quality', as one of her jonin sensei had called it. The one thing she could feel proud about. And Naruto just tanked all her punches as if she was nothing more than a common civilian girl. Why? How?

Jumping back a little, Naruto looked at Iruka. "Sensei, should I fight back or should I keep defending?"

"Just… just be careful, okay?" Iruka frowned. In his point of view, and those of practically every student that was watching, Fu was doing exceptionally well. Carrying around a miniature version of the fox, Naruto's status as jinchuriki wasn't much of a secret. But that had never been the reason why no one was allowed to spar with him in taijutsu. No, that had a completely different reason.

Fu had to strain herself to keep dodging his fists. The times she did block him, she had felt how hard his fists were. She was convinced he somehow played dirty, using some kind of trick. Then again, the way Chomei hardened her skin, similar to the exoskeleton the bijuu had, could also be considered as cheating. At least, that was how it was seen in Takigakure. And yet somehow this boy, with that foolish grin that annoyed her more and more, used an even stronger defense.

Her anger grew, hit after hit, and eventually she wasn't holding back anything anymore. Hitting the boy as hard as she could, he still didn't budge, making her growl out in frustration. Then again, Fu had never been the patient one. And her impatience was her own undoing.

She slipped by his left but did not notice that it had been a feint. His right fist was planted in her stomach, knocking the breath out of her, forcing her to her knees.

"Wow, you're really good!" Naruto chirped, irking the girl even further. "Iruka-sensei, does this mean I can train taijutsu at the academy now?"

"What are you?" Fu growled. "What are you made of?"

He stared dumbly at her, his mouth shaped in an 'o' as he suddenly realized his mistake. "You don't know! I forgot, to warn ya but I can do this!" he extended his arm, and bones grew out to cover his flesh. "Shikotsumyaku," he laughed without a care in the world. "I can create and manipulate bones. I kinda got some sort of layer of bone underneath my skin when acts as a nigh impenetrable armour. It's also why no one can spar against me. To someone like you I'm a bit of a freak, I suppose, but I hope you don't mind. I mean, you're awesome! I've never met anyone our age who I could trade blows with! I always thought it would be Sasuke who'd do that, once he got his chakra control to a level that he could strengthen his body with his chakra. But you're doing it like it is nothing, you must be a genius!"

'… _awesome? Genius? Does that runt not know what I am?'_ Fu scowled while he rattled on and on.

"Erm, unless you don't wanna spar?" Naruto hesitated, not sure why she scowled at him. Why was she so angry? There were so many people who gave him that funny look when they thought he wasn't watching. He had even heard of parents warning their children to stay away from him. Then again, there were also those that encouraged their children to get close to him, or so his mother had warned him. Apparently Fu was one of the former group, because she didn't seem to like him very much. "I'm sorry I punched you…"

"Fine," Fu sighed in annoyance. "The others will probably be boring anyway."

He watched in confusion as she walked away, even cast a questioning glare at Iruka, but he didn't seem to know either. Walking back to his sister and his best friend, Naruto saw Sasuke handing Tenten some money. Apparently the Uchiha had bet against him. "Lost a bet, Teme?" Naruto grinned.

"Hn."

"I thought you'd know by now that Ten-chan always knows best," a lot of female glares now pointed at her, misinterpreting Naruto's laugh. The relation between Naruto and Tenten had always been a subject of discussions. It was a public secret that Tenten was adopted by the family, yet she and Naruto were close. Too close, according to many girls who coveted Naruto's heart. Or his heritage. Mostly the latter. And the way Tenten, sometimes forcibly, kept the fangirls away from her 'brother' wasn't to their liking either. He was Konoha's "prince", so of course they'd like him! At least, that was their logic. Tenten thought differently.

"What was her problem?" Tenten frowned, ignoring the glares.

"Why are you looking at me?" Sasuke shrugged. "Ask a Hyuga if you want to figure a person out, ask an Uchiha if you want to figure out a jutsu."

"Cocky clan bastards," the bun-haired girl laughed. Naruto ignored the banter, ignored the other students, and for a rare moment he submerged himself in the chaotic reality of his thoughts. Everyone always accused him of never thinking thing through, but despite popular belief Namikaze Naruto did think. Occasionally. Granted, often his thoughts revolved around three things: the people held dear, ramen, and pranks. And ramen. Four things! And yet Tsunade said men only ever had one thing at their minds?

Naruto pondered about the strange girl. She had seemed angry for reasons beyond his understanding. Hurt in ways he'd never considered. Meeting someone who could match him in strength was something, he thought, that would be a happy occasion. Yet she had seemed surprised that someone was capable of matching her ability. Was she under the belief that she had been unique? Naruto knew that Sasuke had a habit of putting himself in the center of the universe, but this girl seemed far worse.

She seemed incredibly lonely to him.

Then again, he had seen a lot of pain in her eyes. Not because of his punches, but something far more fundamental. Almost reminiscent of how Ino looked at him when he had, he hoped he had done it politely, refused her affections. Her confession still unnerved him. He liked Ino, even if she was a bit overbearing at times, but to like her like _that_ was something Naruto hadn't thought about. He liked her, but what did he feel? His father had advised him to wait, that he was young enough to postpone such things for several years. His mother…

In hindsight Naruto knew how stupid his question was. Kushina was a bit protective, to say the least, so her 'parental words of wisdom' were a bit questionable. Naruto knew that Ino was far too honest to be manipulated by her clan. If Ino really liked him, as she had said, then that was Ino's emotion, and not something her mother would have told her to do. After all, girls could be stubborn like mules.

And kick just as harshly.

Not that Ino had kicked him that time. No, she just had looked hurt, disappointed, which had made Naruto only feel worse. And while the emotions he had seen in Fu's eyes were completely different, she too had that pained look. Was it something he did that disappointed her? ' _But what? She isn't from Konoha, she doesn't even know me, so what could I have possibly done to piss her off?'_

* * *

Classes went on and on, endlessly as always. Even if it was the first week, vacation seemed long forgotten. History, geography, mathematics, economics, ninjutsu theory, ninjutsu practice, etcetera, etcetera. Most of it was utterly boring, apart from his humiliating failure when it came to genjutsu. Naruto apparently had no talent at breaking genjutsu. Although part of him suspected that Mizuki had cast a different illusion on him than on the other kids. And Kurama hadn't been much of a help either. In fact, the fox had been the one who laughed hardest when Naruto spent much of the remaining hour thinking that he was a rabbit…

' _Why, just why, did Ino have to be the only one who had a carrot with her?'_ Naruto groaned. Ino had been petting him when Kurama deemed it the right time to break the genjutsu. Naruto doubted that Sasuke would ever let him forget about it.

With his gift of creating and controlling bones, Naruto was a natural at bukijutsu. From the moment Naruto had been able to, Minato and Kushina had trained him in it. At first it was games, later on blunt kunai, but after a while an entire variety of weaponry had passed by. And with his gift Naruto could create any weapon in whatever specification he wanted, stronger and lighter than any tool used by other shinobi.

In a sense he had become a small factory, with all the weapons he made for Minato and Tenten, or even Yugao. Naruto's aim wasn't as perfect as his sister's, who was a prodigy with practically every weapon she laid her hands on, but with some training he easily passed the academy standards. He would even put the vast majority of Konoha's genin to shame. Considering how he aced that, and had been unable to join any scuffles with his classmates, Naruto spent several hours a week outside the academy with his beloved 'Jii-san'. The former Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, may have been at an age where retirement was a logical choice, but he was still amongst the strongest of Konoha.

Well, there were people like Kakashi and Gai, who were growing more (in)famous by the year, but they were still said to lose a match against the old Sarutobi if it came down to it. Obviously there was Jiraiya, of whom Minato had said that he was the second strongest of Konoha. And Naruto himself thought that Tsunade would've been able to reach a level like that as well, if only she wasn't drinking and gambling so much. Of course, Naruto knew his dad was the strongest of them all. Or at the very least the fastest. None in the elemental nations could hold a candle to Minato's speed, not even the Raikage himself, as was the rumor.

A fact which also created a lot of issues for young Naruto. People looked at him, but expected him to be his father. With his sub-par chakra control he wasn't genius at ninjutsu. With his inability to remain calm and actually read a book, he never showed much talent with regard to the theoretical side of any jutsu. He sucked at genjutsu (unlike his father), was just a little above average in fuinjutsu (but no genius like his father), was good with weapons (but not a genius with bukijutsu like his father), and the list went on. And on and on and on.

Standing in someone's shadow wasn't fun. A fact which both he and Sasuke knew very well, which had been one of the prime reasons why they had become friends: Sasuke was put in the same position because Itachi always overshadowed him.

The only thing Naruto was really good at was taijutsu, and that was mostly because of the ability Kurama had given him: his Shikotsumyaku. Still, it made him quite different from his father. Minato was blindingly fast, yet Naruto remained relatively slow. Minato relied on ninjutsu, inventing all kinds of new jutsu, reinventing old ones, and tying it all seamlessly together in one combat style. Meanwhile, Naruto used blunt force. His fists were hard enough to put a dent in solid rock without him feeling it. A jonin could kick him without holding back that much, and Naruto wouldn't even be dazed. Unless it were the really strong ones, like Gai.

Minato was nimble as lightning, while Naruto had jokingly been called a juggernaut. A nickname which was not meant as flattery in most cases, as Naruto soon had discovered. His parents had told them that he should ignore the unrealistic expectations people had of him, that they were proud of whom _he_ was, rather than of whom people thought he should be. That he was Namikaze Naruto, not Namikaze Minato.

Still… it frustrated him. He wanted to be as big a badass as his father was, and yet he felt like he never ever got a step closer. And now that graduation was approaching, people were starting to voice their criticisms more and more. People just never seemed to be satisfied with whatever he did, as if he couldn't do a single thing right.

"You're uncharacteristically pensive today, meatbag," the little Kyuubi grumbled with its deep voice. Sound and appearance formed a rather comical contrast in case of the little fox. "What got you so serious? Are you expecting a ramen shortage or something?"

"I just don't get it, Kurama," Naruto sighed. "The people who like me mostly seem to do so because they like Tou-san, and the people who don't like me seem to be insulted by something I don't even know I did."

"The girl?" Kurama already knew where this was going. To a centuries old creature like him the worries of a young boy were rather pathetic.

"Fu? Yeah, she too… the way she glared at me, I don't understand it," Naruto sighed yet again, annoying Kurama.

"Feeble meatbags like you shouldn't overthink everything. It is impossible to get everyone to like you, so why would you even want that? Just be yourself, ignore all those idiots. Those who are closest to you are the ones you should depend on, not on those who don't even know who you are."

"But why would a stranger like Fu hate me without even knowing me?"

"Do you know her?" Kurama countered.

"…I suppose I don't," Naruto frowned. "Thanks, Ku-chan."

"Will you ever stop calling me like that?"

"Old habits die hard," Naruto chuckled. "I wonder what Jii-san is going to teach us today!"

Jumping over the rooftops, Naruto landed at the gates of the Sarutobi compound. Only to find a very familiar mint-haired girl looking at him with an even bigger scowl than the last time she looked at him.

"Good, I see you have both arrived," Hiruzen surprised both children when he popped up in a cloud of smoke. Naruto hadn't even gotten the time to ask what Fu's deal was, and now that the old man was here he didn't feel like asking either.

"Yo!" Naruto smiled.

"Sandaime-sama," Fu bowed respectfully.

"No need for formalities, Fu-chan," the old man chuckled, although she remained just as distant as she had been before. "I'm glad you're both here. I am taking you to a training ground at the edge of the village, where you'll both start doing advanced chakra control exercises."

"Chakra control?" Naruto paled. "Wait, she has to do them too? I thought I was the only one who sucked at them that badly!"

"We're both jinchuriki, aren't we?" Fu sighed at an obvious 'how can you be so stupid' tone of voice.

"Jin…jinwhat?"

The only thing heard after his question was the soft pop of Kurama falling from Naruto's head, as the creature was laughing too hard to stop himself from sliding off Naruto's head.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

* * *

Yeah… Naruto wasn't exactly the jinchuriki that Fu was expecting him to be. Would that be a good thing or a bad thing? Fu's ideas on how the world works are a bit skewered, after all. And should Naruto follow Tenten's advice on how to get rid of fangirls?

To be honest: I don't really like the notion of fan girls all that much. Especially not the way Kishimoto exaggerated it. But it is part of the universe. So I decided to turn it into a joke.

Speaking of romance: Mrs. Illuminated stole my beta away for the weekend, so this chapter is unbeta'd! (I hope they have a nice weekend!) After my little reveal in Pareidolia I was rather impatient so I just published this chapter 'raw'. Usually I would've waited, or better said: I would've let you all wait. But after last Pareidolia chapter I thought that it would be good to give Apophenia an update too. Call it childish eagerness, or whatever you want to.

Anyway, I hope you've all liked the chapter enough to leave **reviews**!

* * *

-Z-


	12. Flowers, ramen, and bones

**Apophenia**

 **Flowers, ramen, and bones..**

* * *

It was just another regular day. The holidays seemed to be an eternity ago. "Morning Tou-san."

"Good morning princess," Inoichi smiled, although the bags under his eyes seemed to be at odds with his cheerful attitude.

"Rough night again? Why can't you let Ibiki-san or Anko-san take over the nightshifts?"

"We take turns," Inoichi shrugged. "I made you a sandwich, be sure to eat it. My little girl needs to eat properly, diets or not." He kissed her on the forehead and waved her goodbye.

Ino sighed and went to the kitchen. Her mother was already at the shop, preparing the stock of flowers that would be sold today, while her father would go to bed after the long shift. The T&I department seemed to be quite busy these days, but her father never uttered a word about it. Perhaps it had something to do with the chaos in Kirigakure from the last years. Their civil war had ended, and it made sense to Ino that there would be an outflow of missing nin, those who lost the war, spreading from Kiri over the other nations.

"Dahaad…" Ino whined when she saw the sandwich he had made. "Too fat. Ugh, I'll have to train double time to lose all those calories…"

She waged an eternal battle for the perfect figure. Ino knew well that she'd have to start watching what she'd eat from an early age, in order to prevent getting fat later on. She was confident she had the looks to haul him in, but she'd have to make sure she'd keep him too. ' _Naruto-kun…'_

In the rare moments of objective honesty, Ino would admit Naruto wasn't _the_ most gorgeous guy in class. But he was most definitely the cutest. And kindest. While walking to the academy, Ino once again thought about the first time she met him. He seemed to be so uncertain, quite wimpy even, when they had talked. Well, Ino had talked; in hindsight perhaps she had probably been a bit too forceful, but when they had talked about flowers… he had been the first boy who seemed genuinely interested in flowers. He was kind, gentle, and adorably goofy; he was perfect in her eyes.

Well, she might be a bit overly fanatical, but as her mother had said: everything is allowed in the name of love… and then she found herself being bashed aside.

"Serves you right, Ino-pig," Sakura smiled at her friend. "If you keep walking around while you're spaced out like that-"

Needless to say, the rest of their way was filled with the usual friendly banter. Sakura even joked about what might have happened if they had had a crush on the same boy. This degraded into the usual Naruto versus Sasuke discussion. Unsurprisingly, they were still bickering when they entered their classroom. "We're early!"

"Only by ten minutes, why were you even so early, Piglet?"

"Why were you early, Forehead girl?"

Ino was so busy squabbling that she didn't even notice it when he entered the room, although her heart fluttered when she noticed him. Naturally, he was flanked by Tenten. ' _I really wished I knew what the bond between them is. They say they're like siblings, but they're far too close for comfort…'_

* * *

Finally, there was break. Iruka was a good man, and obviously he tried his very best, but sometimes his lectures could just be boring. There were monologues that went on and on and on… usually until something happened: like Choji being caught secretly eating (usually betrayed by the crunch of his chips), or Shikamaru who was caught sleeping (after half an hour he started snoring, on average), or Kiba and Akamaru caught during their attempted escapes.

Usually, Naruto would be somewhere in this list too, for all three 'offences' and worse. But Tenten had been smart this year, positioning herself between him and his 'escape route'. In addition, the new girl sat next to her.

"Hey, Sakura, what do you think about the new girl?"

"New girl?" the pinkette frowned. "Oh, the green-haired girl. Fu. What about her?"

"Well, even after that taijutsu thing with Naruto-kun… we still don't know a thing about her."

"You're curious as always, Pig," Sakura sighed. "Let's get something to eat. I haven't eaten a thing this morning. Damn diets."

Of course, they first looked for their respective crushes, but as always, they were impossible to find. During their first year, Naruto and Sasuke had had a sort of rivalry, making a competition out of practically everything. With Sasuke being the youngest son of the infamous Uchiha clan and younger brother of the rising star Uchiha Itachi, the greatest prodigy in Konoha since the Yondaime himself, and Naruto being said Hokage's son, both faced incredibly high expectations. But Sasuke was not his brother, and Naruto was not his father. Ino suspected that this was why they had eventually become close friends. However, it was obvious that Tenten had to intervene every now and then, avoiding escalations.

The little fox usually did everything in its power to annoy the Uchiha. The Kyuubi… it still terrified Ino that something so powerful attended her class. She knew her parents had protested at first, as did many others, but both the Yondaime and Sandaime had vouched for the creature, as did the two remaining members of the infamous Sannin, Jiraiya and Tsuande. How could people argue against them?

Especially when there was still that odd rumor floating around, one which Ino wasn't supposed to know… she had never told Sakura about it, but the possibility that the Uchiha were behind the Kyuubi attack was troubling. ' _But if they really did that, Yondaime-sama would never have let it slip. There must be some other reason why Sasuke's clan is treated so badly. The talk about the Uchiha military police being corrupt, even to the point where they are extorting civilians, is especially ugly. I can't imagine someone as proud as Sasuke doing such stuff…'_

She never told Sakura about those things, because she knew Sakura wouldn't want to accept such things anyway. She was devoted to Sasuke, and because of him she didn't want to accept that the Uchiha clan was treated badly either. ' _She'd just see it as another attempt of mine to prove that Naruto-kun is better,'_ Ino sighed. ' _And speak of the devil, there he is!'_ Ino's enthusiasm was immediately dampened by the fact that he was already talking to another girl, the new one. However, Ino observed that she didn't seem to think much about him, and that she walked away after a very brief exchange of words.

"Hello, Naruto-kun," Ino put up her most radiant smile. He didn't seem to be paying much attention, as if something was distracting him. The little fox who was lazily lying on top of his head, however, did notice her. The fox's firm pull at Naruto's blond hair woke him up.

"Ah, sorry Ino-chan," he smiled back, although his blue eyes still seemed to wander off. "I'm sorry, I didn't hear you."

"What's up with Fu-san?"

"Not sure," he shrugged. Although judging by his expression, it was clear that he really wanted to know.

"She isn't rude to you, I hope?"

"No, not really. There's no problem Ino-chan," his smile faltered a bit. "It's just… I think it is hard on her, the whole move-to-another-village thing and all. She seems lonely, and when we try to talk to her she just seems to intentionally create distance."

' _Is he into lonely girls? That magazine suggested that some guys like girls who need their help, that their fragile side appeals to their protective nature… it's worth a shot.'_ In a fraction of a second, Ino decided on her course of action. "She isn't the only girl who feels lonely, Naruto-kun…"

"Eh?" he looked around, until the tiny Kyuubi once again pulled his hair. "Hey! What was that for, Kurama?!"

"The vixen is trying to win your heart, dumbass."

Even though she was usually rather outspoken and confident, Ino couldn't help but blush at the comment. Sadly, any reply on his side was silenced when several other girls noticed him.

"Huh, it seems Naruto-kun has been taught the Shunshin no Jutsu too…" she sighed disappointedly afterward.

"Took him long enough," Tenten startled the Yamanaka. "Sasuke beat him to it, and I can do it too, so naturally he just kept practicing at it until he could finally do it. He might be an idiot at times, but he is surprisingly persistent when he thinks he needs to be. Or is it just stubbornness? I can never decide. Not everything is as obvious as his ramen-addiction. Ah well, I think we can all learn a thing or two about never giving up from him, can't we _Ino-chan_?" Tenten mimicked her brothers voice well, but before Ino realized what she actually said, Tenten had already gotten through the door.

"Like hell I'm ever giving up on him."

* * *

Regardless of her determination, it was surprisingly difficult to find Naruto while he was alone. Well, not counting the little fox, of course, as the creature was always near Naruto. Ino never understood why, though. Aside from Kurama, Tenten was usually found at Naruto's side too, and Sasuke as well. And there were several cases where Ino spotted Hinata, who was looking at Naruto when she thought none would notice her. Ino, however, was stealthier. Oddly, there were also several days a week on which Naruto visited the Sarutobi compound, always flanked by Fu, Ino recalled. The latter would be silent and seemingly reluctant, but still…

Oddly, her first chance came when Tenten stated she had forgot something, telling Naruto to go ahead without her – even to the point where she had to insist that he shouldn't wait. After that, the girl had whispered something which the Yamanaka couldn't hear. Ino wasn't sure why Tenten acted like that, but she wasn't going to waste this opportunity.

Kurama wasn't surprised, likely having smelled or heard Ino stalking his host, but Naruto never suspected a thing. So when Ino suddenly jumped down, he jumped up, startled. "Ino-chan?!"

"H-hi Naruto-kun!"

"...what's up?"

"Erm… h-howaboutabiteoframen?"

Naruto blinked and looked at the blonde. "Sorry?"

She sighed, inwardly beating herself up for acting like such a fool. "How about a bite of ramen?"

"Ramen?" he smiled. "Sure thing! Never knew you had a thing for ramen too! Ichiraku? Teuchi-ojisan has the best ramen in town!"

' _It can't be this easy. Can it?'_ Ino stared at him, resisting the urge to slap herself in the face. She had tried to ask him on dates so often, and he always declined, politely yet clumsily. So she could barely fathom it. _'Ramen had been the magic word? A date- this was a date, right? Yes, it looked like that, so it must be.'_ Soon they were walking together to the ramen booth, chatting without a care in the world.

Truthfully, Naruto wasn't _completely_ oblivious, but he also remembered Tenten's advice. In spite of his mother's warnings, he didn't really understand why the girls were always after him, but if this was what it took to get some peace and quiet… and Ino wasn't bad company at all. He talked with her about practically everything, about school, about flowers, and eventually…

"Nee-chan?" Naruto smiled fondly. "She's awesome! She is one of the few girls who can beat you when it comes to top kunoichi of the class, right?"

"But how do you feel about her?"

"I told you, right?" he blinked in confusion. "I love Nee-chan!"

That turned the day sour. There had been plenty of people in class who had suggested it. Tenten, informally adopted by the Namikaze family, was not related to Naruto by blood. There were plenty of suggestions that a 'forbidden love' might be going on between the two of them. However, in spite of them calling each other brother and sister, they weren't legally obstructed from starting a relationship.

Still, they lived as siblings. And despite the fact that there was no throne in Konoha, thus no game around it, love between siblings was still a bad idea. Who'd know what could happen… the brother might end up with a golden hand, while the sister blows up cathedrals… Ino knew she read too many books.

Before Naruto could notice her sudden depression (Kurama kept quiet about it, amused by Ino's misunderstanding), something else drew his attention. While walking through the main street towards the ramen booth, they saw how a small group of people had gathered around some sort of commotion. The commotion itself wasn't anything special, but the flash of mint-green hair he had seen in the center of it was.

"What are you guys doing?" Naruto stepped through the assembly of men and women.

"Good day, Namikaze-san," one of the men of the military police bowed politely, although his face showed something which could only be called contempt. Naruto was used to it and ignored it, with him being a jinchuriki, but Ino, still at his side, bristled.

"Relax, Ino-chan," he had no intention of letting this escalate to something worse. "I'm sure Uchiha-san has a good explanation as to why three members of the police force are ganging up against one girl."

"She's a thief," the man pointed at Fu. Fu, who stood motionlessly, even though there was a small tickle of blood running down the side of her mouth. Apparently the three had not been very subtle when they cuffed her.

"I paid for that food," she mumbled, as if she was straining to get the words out of her mouth.

"Too little," a shopkeeper stepped forward. "And she refused to pay the difference."

"I paid what the card said the stuff cost!"

"Too little, he said," one of the Uchiha spat. He attempted to hit her again, but found his hand blocked by Naruto.

"That's enough," Naruto growled. "This isn't-"

"Oi, Sawamura, isn't this obstruction of justice?" the third Uchiha grinned.

Sawamura, the apparent leader of the trio, glared at Naruto. "That is right, so you better scram. Namikaze or not, you are bound by the same laws as everyone else, brat."

Without giving it a single thought, Naruto had already turned around… and then the Kyuubi tapped him on the head. "…wait, what? This is genjutsu! That's why Fu isn't defending herself!"

"Yes, those Uchiha bastards never learn, do they," Kurama growled. "Let's break Chomei free."

"We tried to play nice," the second Uchiha smirked, "but if you don't want to-"

A bone-clad fist cut him off. Unlike Sawamura, this one did not have his sharingan active, whether due to being incapable of doing it or simple underestimation. Not even a chunin-level shinobi, however, took a punch from the boy without feeling some serious pain. And the angered Naruto made the man spit out blood before he buckled over.

"Usage of the sharingan against civilians is something Tou-san has forbidden," Naruto pushed Ino back while the crowd screamed and broke apart. "Let Fu go and we'll let you go."

"Bah, arrogant brat!"

"No, don't rush in," Sawamura warned his clan mate. "Although I do agree, his arrogance shouldn't be left unpunished…"

"Kit, it's time," Kurama hopped off, elegantly landing on all four paws. "It'll be a sort of poetic justice to do this against an Uchiha!" Neither Fu nor Ino believed what they saw. Naruto channeled as much of Kurama's chakra as he could, and as a consequence the tiny fox grew. He grew and grew until he rose up, as high as an adult human being. It was still puny compared to normal standards, but the boy couldn't tolerate more chakra. Even one tail worth of chakra was too much for him at this stage. Naruto was young, he had yet to grow-and when that happened, Kurama would grow with him.

But the presence of a man-sized Kyuubi was still easily capable of paralyzing any ill-prepared shinobi. The malice which Kurama radiated made Ino lose control of her legs. She weakly fell to her knees, barely noticing the bone armor which Naruto grew. The panicked screams of the audience would haunt her in nightmares-to-come, but at that moment she could only see the growing Kyuubi.

Naruto usually relied on the endoskeleton, a layer of bone just underneath his skin, but in fights like these, Naruto formed bone outside his skin, a sturdy outer defense. Truly, he needed a lot of training, because the materialization of the bone was a matter relying on his concentration and his ability to give shape to his chakra. With the overabundance of chakra which Naruto always had, the bone was sturdy but still lacked in density, just as the blade Naruto made should be sharper.

Still, the bone armor was not something which would easily break. Thus, Kurama left Sawamura to Naruto, while he focused on the others. Even after eleven years, Kurama still hated the clan which had subjugated him twice.

Two eyes, each with three tomoe, now glared at the Namikaze boy. The plan had already failed. And for failure… Sawamura knew he'd die. So why not drag the very demon which had caused much of his clan's misery down along with him?

Unlike Minato, Hiruzen, or Gai, Naruto now faced an opponent who wasn't fighting him for the sake of teaching. Sawamura was aiming for the kill. While hitting not nearly as hard as the other three, the Uchiha was easily superior to the young jinchuriki. The bone armor kept him alive, but for how long? Gai could usually break it in a minute, less if he opened up a gate or two. So how long could it last against this Uchiha?

' _The longer I have got him focusing on me, the more time Fu and Ino-chan get to scram. And Kurama to beat the other teme into submission. I can't believe these idiots are related to Sasuke...'_

Sawamura, on the other hand, was beginning to panic. He knew this sort of skirmish in the middle of a busy street wouldn't last long. Anbu would rush in and end this. While no one really seemed to care about Fu, because her arrest seemed to be somewhat justifiable, this Namikaze boy was different. Even if he was a jinchuriki, people loved his father, the great Yondaime.

Tiger. Ram. Monkey. Boar. Horse. Tiger. "Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu!"

Kurama's eyes widened when he heard the exclamation. This wasn't what he was counting on. He expected a few overzealous law enforcers, not an idiot who would truly attempt to kill the boy. Not while knowing whose son the boy was.

With the chakra kneaded within his body, Sawamura expelled the flames through his mouth, and the ball of fire hit the boy's last-minute-built defenses. An additional layer of bone wouldn't have stopped the flames. No, the brittle bone broke under the heat, and the Uchiha's most-favored techniques smashed into his body.

Ino could only look on in horror as her crush was swallowed up by the blast. Fu, wide eyed and frozen in terror, saw his body fall over. Kurama bit and tore the throat of his Uchiha opponent apart, no longer aiming to resolve this situation without casualties, and leapt at Sawamura while praying that the boy would endure. The fox even returned most of the chakra he had borrowed from his main body.

Naruto didn't look good. Flat on the ground, face down, Ino could see the ribs through his torn flesh. His shoulder bone sticking out, the white of his vertebrae emerging from the red and bloodied mess of flesh and burns. "No… No… Naruto-kun!"

But all was not lost. The endoskeleton had taken most of the damage, and Naruto awoke with a shock, gasping for the air that had been knocked out of him.

' _That… impossible! Chomei, is he really still alive?'_

" **Yes, Fufu. Help Kurama, the boy will need some time to recover."**

' _I'm still restrained, remember?'_

She heard the seven-tailed bijuu sigh, and suddenly felt a rush of chakra. Chomei didn't mind sharing some of his chakra, but he wasn't a big fan of it either, because he thought that Fu was still too young and fragile to be burdened that much. She was still a larva in his eyes, even when she thought herself to be a grown-up girl.

"N-Naruto-kun?" Ino felt her stomach revolt when Naruto stood up. His bones still exposed, but his flesh healing. The blood-red eyes that looked at her, however, were not Naruto's eyes. They were those of Kurama. Naruto's mind had not been hijacked, but with the amount of chakra that was flooding through his body, the balance was so overwhelmingly tipped in Kurama's favor that Naruto's body underwent some changes. The whisker marks on his face turned feral, and his eyes changed color and shape.

It was a side to Naruto which only a few had seen, a side that Ino had not been ready to see.

With an angry cry, Naruto jumped into the fray, his ribs extending, his scapula spiking, and the bones in his arms… Naruto had been taught well enough by Kurama that he knew the difference between the 'constructed' bones and those he naturally had. The ones he created by himself were more flexible, as he created them in the shapes he wanted them to have- but they were also more fragile. It was taxing to use his own skeleton as weaponry, even to the point where it undermined his vitality, but the bones he had naturally grown were incomparable in terms of density.

Sawamura was being pushed already, having used much of his chakra in his failed attempt to kill Naruto. The shrunken-down Kyuubi was tearing at his legs, while Fu's hits were no joke, even to a chunin like him. So when he saw Naruto's spine-chilling form, Sawamura was already too late to react. The protruding bones from Naruto's right arm made the limb look like a spiked club, and the spikes…

A flash of light blinded all those who were still watching. Sawamura fell with a kunai sticking through his spine, while Naruto saw the blood drip from his arms. His eyes turned blue again, and the bones returned to where they belong, causing several sickening sounds when they popped back. In front of his eyes, Minato saw his son's flesh grow, closing the wounds.

They would close faster than the puncture Naruto had made in his father. The world's fastest shinobi had easily been able to stop Naruto, but when taking down the Uchiha at the same time, Minato had been forced to make a choice. "Ah well, it's just a scratch."

"Tou-san? I-I'm sorry," Naruto stammered, almost in tears. "I didn't mean to…"

"Calm down, Naruto-kun," Minato smiled. "You didn't hurt me. Although I do think Kaa-chan will have to take a good look at my coat," he shrugged. ' _But if I had evaded it, you would have hit that Uchiha. I don't think you are mentally prepared for your first kill yet, son…'_

Several more anbu landed, led by the man who acted as Minato's second in command. "Sensei, what should we do with them?"

"Kakashi, take the corpse to T&I for investigation, let them check for possible traces of foreign chakra. As for the others…" he tapped with his foot against the paralyzed body of Uchiha Sawamura. "I think Inoichi would like to investigate what drove this man to endanger my son, his daughter, and young Fu-chan here. But make sure to tell him not to get too enthusiastic. The same goes for that one over there," he pointed at the unconscious Uchiha, who had been taken down by Naruto's fist.

"Yes, Yondaime-sama."

' _This'll be another fun talk with Fugaku,'_ Minato sighed. In the short moment it took for the Anbu to get the three Uchiha out, Minato picked up his wobbly son. The exertion took its toll, and the boy was barely awake. "Seems like Naruto-kun will need some rest to recover from this. Are you okay, Ino-chan? You look rather pale."

"…I'm f-f-fine, Y-Yondaime-sama," she whispered. Breathing far too rapidly, being pale and trembling, she seemed everything but fine. "Will Naruto-kun be alright?"

"He'll be restless as ever tomorrow," he laughed gently, trying to comfort the startled girl. He did, however, guess wrong as to why she was so startled. Sure, the danger Naruto had just been in was shocking to the young Yamanaka, but the hideous display of his Shikotsumyaku was something the girl couldn't forget. "Oh, and Fu-san?"

"Yes, Yondaime-sama," the mint-haired girl bowed.

"You're coming with me. Kushina wants to see you. And I think it would be for the best if you don't decline this time. I think my wife is very well capable of sending out Anbu to drag you to her," he joked.

Although Fu didn't interpret the remark as such.

* * *

"Well that plan backfired spectacularly."

"Not at all, Zetsu-san. Not at all," the Uchiha looked at his plant-like companion. They met in the outer reaches of the Uchiha district, where the forest met Konohagakure. The Uchiha wore a cloak, although the black fabric did not bear any symbol, not even that of the Uchiha clan. "But you took a tremendous risk, approaching the situation while the Yondaime was around."

"He wouldn't have sensed us," the black half grunted.

"And if he did, we would've been gone in a heartbeat," the light-hearted white half agreed.

"Don't underestimate his speed. One tag is all it takes," the Uchiha warned. "You are master's will, losing you would be a great loss to our cause."

"Not as big as losing you and your eyes," the white half chuckled. "Compared to you, my grumpy half is expendable."

"You do realize that if he killed me, you would have died with me," the blacker half growled. "Idiot."

"Oh… yeah, that wouldn't be fun. Too bad Tobi isn't here anymore."

"How did he die?" the cloaked Uchiha inquired.

"Someone intervened," Black Zetsu sighed. "And the young idiot overplayed his hand. Shame, his Mangekyo was extremely useful."

"An eternal shame that it was burned to ashes," White Zetsu sighed along. "But yours it pretty neat too!"

"Perhaps. Should I aim for the other jinchuriki?"

"No. She is of no consequence. The Namikaze boy is much more dangerous by comparison, but moving against him is impossible right now. We do not know how the Kyuubi was able to manifest itself while being sealed at the same time," Black Zetsu pondered. "I would assume that there is a certain level of cooperation between the boy and the demon, as impossible as it sounds."

"Oh, wasn't that what a so-called perfect jinchuriki is?" the white half chirped.

"Yes. Yes it is," the blacker half agreed. "And they are very resistant to genjutsu, aren't they?"

"Yes precious, they are."

"It still freaks me out how you two talk," the Uchiha grunted. "The failure of my three pawns was inevitable, but the jinchuriki was never my target."

"Oh?"

"No, I merely was estimating her value. She is weak to our genjutsu, so she isn't much of a threat. I can subjugate her whenever I want. But the way those three fools failed only ensured that my clan will get more and more enemies."

"And the more enemies they get, the more Uchiha will side with your plan," White Zetsu realized.

"Our plan," Black Zetsu intervened. "So far everything seems to be going well, even though we lost the Sanbi."

"I told you that you should have let me do it," the Uchiha shook his head. "If it had been me, Yagura would have been ours. Just like the other two."

"Too bad about Roshi," White Zetsu sighed. "Perhaps he was too stubborn? Or did he notice what we did to the Sandaime Tsuchikage?"

"No one noticed anything," Black Zetsu snapped at his other half. "If anyone suspected the Tsuchikage, we would have known. And that geezer is a more valuable pawn in our plan than Roshi. I doubt Yagura would have been able to hold the Sanbi back for much longer anyway. Still, the disappearance of the Yonbi is annoying."

"With three pawns in place, how is Nagato doing?"

"He killed Danzo, the idiot."

"Yeah," Zetsu agreed with his darker half. "Danzo could've been useful. But noooo, mister 'I am God Almighty' just had to slaughter the old man, just like he did Hanzo. Okay, Hanzo was annoying, but Danzo… It's rude to kill a cripple!"

"Danzo would never be trustworthy," the Uchiha disagreed, his red eyes staring at Zetsu. "That man would have butchered my clan."

"Isn't that what you are doing?"

"There is still a difference."

"Your father must be proud that he raised a son who became their greatest enemy… I love how ironic life can be," Zetsu laughed. "When our plan commences, none of them will know what hit them. I can't wait!"

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

* * *

First, I write half the chapter from Ino's point of view, quite innocent and happy, and then… Akatsuki? Zetsu? Nagato? An Uchiha? Which Uchiha? I'll leave it up to you to guess who the Uchiha is.

Yep, stuff is happening. I already stated that this story isn't going to last _that_ long, as I aim to finish it with the Chunin Exams. So it shouldn't be that surprising that the enemies will be moving sooner as well. This is also why I made Naruto far stronger than he would've been in the manga. As the situation in this fic changed quite a bit compared to the manga, there is also no guarantee that Akatsuki will be composed of the exact same group of people…

Make me and my beta **Illuminated** happy, and leave a **review**! Illuminated is still mourning the election results. It seems that both in the US and in Holland, it's the people with face paint that occupy the news…

* * *

-Z-


	13. Schemes

_Hi there! Yes, I know it's been a while since I've updated this story, and I could say that I apologize for that fact, but that doesn't help anyone. The simple fact is that there was a combination of a lack of time and enthusiasm on my end, as well as another story on which I have spent most of the spare time I had these past few months. But, I've not abandoned Apophenia. Nor Pareidolia, for that matter._

 _Recap_ _: 'Someone' tricked three Uchiha of the police force into assaulting Fu, whom had been falsely accused of theft. Seeing it happen, Naruto and Kurama interfered, which led to Ino seeing the ugly side of Naruto's abilities._

* * *

 **Apophenia**

 **Schemes**

* * *

"Kushina-sama," Fu bowed, uncertain as to why the wife of the Hokage wanted to see her. Minato had already moved to the living room, gently laying down the softly snoring Naruto. Meanwhile, Tenten was at her brother's side, still panicked by what just had occurred.

"So you are Fu? Why the hell didn't you get by here any sooner?!"

"…I didn't think that you'd-"

"Don't think for another, girl. I've invited you three times. I was about to send out Yugao to drag you here," Kushina huffed. "It's rude, you know, not even answering my messages."

Startled, Fu looked to the ground, unable to meet the red-haired woman's stern gaze.

"Honey, you're scaring her," Minato sighed. "Please don't mind her, Fu-chan, she's still enraged by what happened to our son."

"That boy and his recklessness," Kushina sighed. "Still… what were those Uchiha thinking?"

"Yes, why did they insist on arresting you, Fu-chan?" Minato inquired. "I made sure you got an allowance which should enable you to live fairly comfortably, so the claim of theft doesn't really make any sense to me."

"I wasn't stealing anything," Fu huffed. "That stupid shopkeeper just asked double of what the stuff was supposed to cost. I mean, the prices were on the tags! And when I paid him that price, he accused me of thievery, and then those three bastards just popped up out of nowhere."

"I doubt it was coincidental. I think Ibiki will have to ask that shopkeeper a few questions too…"

"It was only overcharging," Fu shrugged, not really seeing what the big deal of that was. "For me, being accepted into a store is already an improvement over Takigakure."

"It is not the sort of treatment that we will allow in Konoha!" Kushina growled. "Why do people always have to be so damned stupid when it comes to something they do not understand? As soon as someone deviates from their expectations, they start to discriminate. Why can't they just accept others as they are?!"

"Kushina..."

"What?!" she snapped back at Minato.

"Calm down," he sighed. "I know it frustrates you, but ranting about it at us doesn't change a thing. Especially not in front of Fu-chan."

"You don't know how it feels like; the way people look at you when you're a jinchuriki, Minato!"

"And you do?" Fu couldn't help but remark coldly. What Kushina said made her frown. Kushina spoke as if she knew about the burden of being a 'human sacrifice', but how could she? Did that woman have the guts to pretend like she understood?

"She was my former prison," Kurama remarked lazily. "Don't look so startled, Minty. I know it is rare, but she survived the extraction. That masked bastard was the one who dragged you out of your village, wasn't he?"

"He's also the one who saved my life," Kushina nodded. "That night… the night Naruto was born…"

"Female jinchuriki are at their weakest when they give birth," Minato spoke up when his wife's voice faltered. "Someone knew about that, and attacked at that very moment. He forcibly extracted the Kyuubi from the seal, turned him against Konoha."

"Filthy Uchiha," Kurama spat. "I told you hairless apes to exterminate those red-eyed ingrates, but no one ever listens to me…"

"Stop pouting," Minato chided the little fox. "We can't blame an entire clan for the actions of a single person. But whenever people treat you like that, Fu, you will come to us and report it. I will not tolerate anyone in my village treating you differently because you carry the burden of being the jinchuriki of Takigakure. You are our guest, which makes any insult against you an insult to me and my office."

Fu didn't know what to think at this point. He spoke with a calm determination with which she was unaccustomed. It made her feel… safe? It was a vague feeling she remembered from before when her life changed so fundamentally. The nostalgia of it was joined by the bitter reminder that it had been her family, those who had declared her dead, viewing her as nothing but a corpse which was animated by the demon within her. Skepticism was her usual way to distance herself from other people, having known the hard way that cherishing hope was not a wise path for someone like her. And yet…

" _ **A Fuinjutsu master might theoretically be able to halt the effect of extraction, Fufu-chan. While I agree that it is unlikely, she does have traces of Kurama's chakra. And the faint chakra I sense from her is… her body is damaged, severely, so I'm inclined to believe her claim. Besides, my nine-tailed brother isn't the type to joke around, especially not with these things.**_ _"_

' _But… Chomei, how can these people…'_

"Kaa-chan, is the ramen ready?" a groggy Naruto, supported by Tenten, entered the room. "I'm hungry. Kurama already fixed the damage, but I'm still starving."

"Using your own skeleton as weaponry is still too taxing, I warned you about it," Kurama sighed. "You are an idiot, but at least it was to kill a those red-eyed rats, so I can't even get mad at you."

"It isn't your role to be the angry one in this case," Kushina scowled. "Fine, we'll make something to eat. You and Tenten make sure Fu-chan gets something to drink while you wait. But don't think you're getting away with this so easily, mister."

Naruto sighed in defeat while his mom poked him against the chest. Kushina could be very strict, especially when she was worried. Even Tenten had to admit that Kushina was _slightly_ overprotective. Then again, Naruto's thoughtless escapades did elicit such responses. On top of it all, there was the fact that the consequences of overusing the kekkei genkai were too grave to be taken lightly, even if Naruto stubbornly refused to see the true dangers of his actions.

Too many members of the Kaguya clan had died an early death, because their bodies were simply incapable of handling the strain of using their own skeletons like that.

* * *

Sporting short, unkempt, dark hair, black eyes, and rather well-defined eyelashes, he was an object of admiration to many girls in the village- at least, those who'd look past his Uchiha blood. However, Uchiha Shisui was generally seen in a better light, as he and several of his direct ancestors had been loyal to the village, rather than the clan. Loyal to Konohagakure and powerful… those particular qualities made his clan quite weary of him.

So, he never really walked through the Uchiha compound with his guard down. Which explained why he jumped when someone managed to startle him. "Dammit Itachi, stop doing that!"

"Do what?"

"Showoff," Shisui grumbled. "You think it is funny to scare me, eh?"

Even with his usually calm demeanor, Itachi couldn't help be show a faint smile. "Getting Shunshin no Shisui to jump in fear is quite entertaining."

"Gheh, your father wouldn't agree if he saw you frolic around like that. Speaking of which… where were you? I've been looking for you!"

"Mission," was all that Itachi said, reluctantly.

"Or was it the mysterious girlfriend again?" Shisui teased. "At least, I've not heard that your dad issued any missions outside Konoha. Or was Kakashi-taicho busy again?"

"Taicho is our direct leader, and our allegiance is to the Anbu, not the Uchiha Military Police Force," Itachi chose not to respond to the girlfriend remark. The fact remained that Shisui wouldn't need to know about what he had to do. Shisui was too inquisitive anyway. Itachi regarded the young man as a brother, but Shisui always had the bad habit of acting like the 'older brother', which ended up with him trying to ask for all the details that Itachi would have rather kept to himself.

"Anbu or police… I remember the time when it wasn't a 'sin' to make a choice between the two," Shisui sighed. "I wonder when it became a popular belief among our kin that devotion to the village meant that you'd not be trustworthy enough to the clan…"

"Those words… it is best not to utter them lightly," Itachi warned. Although he contrasted his own advice by mumbling on, "In the growing insanity which takes hold of our clan, it would seem that everyone not Uchiha is seen as a potential enemy. No matter how my father tries to reason, the fools just keep jumping to conclusions. Konoha becomes weary due to that mentality, which in turn increases the paranoia of our clan only further…"

"What do you think, what is Fugaku-sama planning?"

"Otou-sama isn't too talkative anymore."

"Oh, still? I mean, it's been a while since you two had your last argument…" Shisui shrugged when Itachi glared at him. "What? Word travels quickly in a close-knit clan like ours, so it's no big secret that your views differ."

"Which side would you choose?"

"Sides? And you warn me about treasonous words?" Shisui smiled slyly. "They'd be surprised, I guess, but you should know… I hate war more than anything."

"A coup…" Itachi nearly whispered. "That is the word which seems to be included in many rumors. Both in and outside the clan. Father was furious when he heard about it, but he's caught in-between just as we are."

"It would be foolishness," Shisui agreed, scowling. "It would result in a civil war. Or slaughter… depending on what Yondaime-sama would do."

"With Kakashi-taicho, Sandaime-sama, Yondaime-sama, and even people like Jiraiya-sama and Tsunade-sama who regularly visit the village these days… our clan is at a disadvantage," Itachi agreed. "And still, if my father would decide to lead the clan in a coup against Konoha, this matter will escalate quickly. Do you think Iwagakure would let a chance pass by to get revenge? Or Kumogakure? If those nations intervened, I wonder what Sunagakure would do. And with all the chaos, none would be able to predict which side Kiri would pick."

"The embers of rebellion would spread the flames of war," Shisui sighed. "I warned you, last year, but you thought that the accusations against our clan for the Kyuubi incident would slowly be forgotten."

The two walked on in silence for a while. "Perhaps your idea of a powerful enough genjutsu wouldn't be that insane after all," Itachi spoke up, carefully yet deadly calm. "For the two of us, both wielding the Mangekyo Sharingan, it shouldn't be an impossibility to change our clan's views."

"And here you said that it would only be a false peace," Shisui joked, although he hid his true smile carefully.

"I'd pick a false peace over a real war," Itachi said gravely. "Have you researched Madara, like I asked?"

Shisui frowned, but nodded nonetheless. "But I don't see how it is connected to why you say the facts on the night of the Kyuubi attack don't add up." He didn't dare discuss, not even with Itachi, the implications of their most illustrious ancestor's story- not when he didn't know what Itachi's mangekyo could do, not while there were two young jinchuriki in the village.

"There are rumors on what happened that night. Have you ever met Mitarashi Anko?"

* * *

' _This is just too freaky.'_

" _ **Just go with the flow, Fufu,"**_ Chomei advised. _**"Gathering a few impressions of the family that has Kurama's host can't hurt, can it?"**_

' _Why would I want to get to know that weakling?'_

" _ **You saw him fight. He isn't weak."**_

' _He has a weak mind,'_ Fu countered. ' _Look at him. Grinning and goofing around with his parents and sister. That little kid isn't a real jinchuriki. Is he?'_

" _ **Perhaps you are the one who isn't a real jinchuriki? Fufu, don't judge everyone by your own standards. Just go with the flow. You know what, I'll propose a bet."**_

' _A bet?'_

" _ **That you're going to like this airhead and his family. I know I like them."**_

' _He's as idiotic as you are…'_

" _ **Hey don't compare my beautiful presence to that of a little grub like him! You shouldn't feel so angry, Fufu-chan. Jealousy doesn't fit you at all."**_

"Fu?" Kushina waved a hand in front of her face.

"Ah! Sorry, I spaced off," Fu choked on the food she had been mindlessly chewing.

"Just as big an idiot as that airhead Chomei," Kurama chuckled. The little fox was eating a piece of raw meat.

"I'm not an idiot!" Fu bit back. "We were wondering how it is possible for you to have a clone outside your jinchuriki?"

"That goofy bug is jealous of me?" the fox laughed. "Good, but he can't have this. Unless that masked bastard can find a way to alter your seal, but I highly doubt he can pull it off for you."

Minato nodded, looking thoughtfully. "I think the circumstances for Naruto-kun are different, Fu-chan. And no, I can't do that particular thing either."

"Where is Yugao-neechan?" Naruto looked up from his food for a change. "Or does she still not have the courage to come back?" Tenten copied his grin, and Kushina broke down in laughter too. Fu didn't see what would be so funny about it.

"Those two," Minato pointed at Naruto and Tenten, as he saw her confusion. "Those two 'accidentally' caught Yugao and Hayate…"

"It's not our fault that they were kissing in that side-alley!"

"Yeah, Yugao-neechan isn't sneaky enough," Naruto agreed with Tenten. "Hayate still doesn't have the guts to ask her out on a date again! He's almost a freaking adult and still he's such a scaredy-cat!"

"Because you two are little devils," Kushina smirked.

"You pestered Nee-san far more than either of us did," Naruto made a face at her. "But I think Hayate fears Tou-san most of all," he added with a snicker.

"Whaaat?" Minato asked innocently. "I only wanted to make sure that he treats Yugao well." It was a talk he suspected he would have with a certain Nara in the future as well. Tenten had said, a few times too often, that she 'wasn't troublesome'. Although, there was a Hyuga in the picture too… no, Minato wasn't exactly looking forward to seeing his adopted daughter grow up. He wasn't prepared for it, and doubted that he ever would be.

Yugao, however, had been pestered for quite a while- to the point where even Naruto got bored with it, although Kurama always managed to bring it up at the right times. The entire talk, however, was something completely alien to Fu. Cozy family situations like these weren't anything she had experienced since she was a little kid, before the sealing.

"But Fu-chan," Kushina decided to change the subject. "How are you and Chomei doing?"

"He's foolish enough to cooperate willingly," Kurama spoke up before the girl could. "My idiot brother has been helping the girl for the last few years. Even you numbskulls should be able to see how strongly he is affecting her."

"Yet she doesn't seem possessed," Minato nodded. "Fostering a good relationship between jinchuriki and bijuu seems to be a thing that benefits both. Even you have learned that, Kurama, even though it wasn't willingly, at first."

"I was cheated into it," Kurama grumbled. "If nothing else, I'd say I had no choice but to help the little ingrate."

Not that Naruto cared- he just shrugged it off with a laugh, as usual. He knew very well that Kurama was a big softy, despite his harsh words, and that he had resigned himself to his fate. For some reason beyond Naruto's understanding, the bijuu had this constant urge to help him get stronger. And, malicious fox or not, a true demon wouldn't help this much, Naruto reasoned.

"Well, I'm happy too," Kushina smiled. "I was worried when I first saw you, thinking that you had problems with the Nanabi, but I'm glad that I saw it wrong."

"It's not the bijuu that cause problems," Fu admitted hesitantly. "Humans are worse."

"Mito-sama told me that a host should be filled with love before a bijuu is sealed within," Kushina remembered the words spoken to her shortly before Kurama had been sealed within her. "After the sealing, jinchuriki are treated… differently," she said diplomatically. "But usually the jinchuriki is attacked from within too, by the bijuu who wants to break free from the seal, and they use that pain and anger for their own goals. Any doubt or hesitation could be exploited. As such, I'm happy to hear that your bond with Chomei is good!"

"I… I suppose?" Fu frowned. Although she did agree that her life would have been far worse if her only friend had been her worst enemy.

"Being a jinchuriki can be very difficult. We're not all blessed with the luck my son had," Kushina continued. "But now that you are living in Konoha, you are not alone anymore, Fu. If you ever have problems, you can ask Hiruzen, Minato, or even Jiraiya whenever he is around. Or me! In my current condition I might not be able to fight and such, but as a woman and somehow who knows how hard it is to be a jinchuriki I might be a much better adviser, you know!"

"Kaa-san, you're rambling again," Tenten sighed.

"It's completely different to be a jinchuriki when you're a woman, Tenten-chan," Kushina huffed. "Pregnancy, for instance, is a huge danger."

"Like I ever want to get kids," Fu said disbelievingly. "Like anyone would marry me," she muttered under her breath, thinking that it would remain unheard.

"Hey, don't say things like that," Kushina protested, a bit miffed at the girl's words- she might not be a jinchuriki anymore, but her senses hadn't lost their precision. "I caught myself a Hokage, so who knows what life will bring you?"

Being too busy slobbering up his dessert, Naruto wasn't really paying attention to the conversation. His mother had a bad habit of being a motor mouth, and once she was going… well, trying to get a word in was usually a futile effort. So instead he focused on his food. Until he heard that one word. "I'm going to be an even bigger Hokage than Tou-san!"

"…"

"…"

"…"

"What?"

"You weren't paying attention, were you," Tenten sighed, her palm still firmly planted against her forehead. "Baka…"

"What?"

"Well, you were the one who suggested it, Kushina-chan," Minato could barely hold a smirk from his face. "Perhaps Fu-san should 'catch' a future Hokage too." The glare he got in return was almost worth the risk.

"Eh?" Naruto blinked dumbly. "But the Hokage is the strongest person in the world! How can a skinny, grumpy girl beat a Hokage?"

"This is so off-topic," Tenten groaned. "Beating isn't the same as catching. No, just shut up, Nii-san, I don't even want to explain it," she stopped him, before he could say anything. "You're embarrassing yourself."

"What? Why?"

"Just do it," Kushina grumbled. She did not like what her son unknowingly implied. Although the mother had to begrudgingly admit that Fu at least wouldn't be like every other girl that was chasing Naruto. Fu wouldn't be chasing him for his heritage. Still, Kushina wasn't about to let anyone get close to her baby. Did anyone ever say that Kushina could be overprotective?

Meanwhile, Fu was at the very least equally annoyed, even though what Minato had implied had gone straight over her head. "Skinny, grumpy girl?!" she exclaimed, glaring daggers at Naruto. "You're going to pay for that in our next spar."

"But first he needs to face the consequences of today's fight. While provoked, you overstepped your boundaries, young man," Kushina towered over the now-cowering boy. His mother's hair floated like fiery red tentacles. "I think there is someone who'd love to give you some additional training on the matter of genjutsu…"

"Kurenai?" Naruto paled. "But she's evil!"

"You shouldn't have spread the word that she and Asuma are in a secret relationship," Kushina huffed. Naruto looked pleadingly to his father, but he wisely, albeit not very bravely, kept out of this. Instead, Minato shared a look of mutual understanding with Tenten, and made an unspoken agreement to keep out of this. Naruto was on his own.

"I only let it slip on accident," his defense was weak and he knew it.

"You wouldn't have dragged a camera along with you if it had been an 'accident'. Nor would you have made pictures of multiple dates. And from what I gathered, you even tried to extort ramen from her!"

"That was Kurama's idea!"

"Then perhaps Ku-chan wants to be taken on another visit to the kindergarteners?" Kushina asked a bit too sweetly.

"Then perhaps I should tell the kids what you were doing at the Hokage's office three days ago?" Kurama only opened one eye, smirking evilly.

"…"

"I think only sending Naruto-kun to Kurenai would be sufficient," Minato immediately intervened, suppressing the urge to blush. "Kurenai is a fresh jonin, and this training might be a good test for her. Although, teaching Naruto how to perform genjutsu seems a bit like a punishment to her as well, doesn't it… hmm, I should take care of how I tell her."

' _Not a real jinchuriki at all. Didn't I tell you? He's an idiot, and this entire family is crazy,'_ Fu grumbled at her friend.

" _ **Seems like I'm going to win this bet, Fufu-chan~"**_

' _Weren't you paying attention? That buffoon insulted me.'_

" _ **But he indirectly suggested that you'd marry him, so it would seem he likes you, right?"**_

' _He what!?'_ Fu growled back. But Chomei's amusement did not subside quickly, no matter how hard she argued against the notion of marriage.

* * *

True to her words, Fu indeed tried to knock Naruto's lights out on every opportunity she got after that dinner, not that she really succeeded. It only infuriated her more. Naruto's unconventional usage of the Shikotsumyaku made him incredibly difficult to beat during taijutsu. And with her limited training in the art, ninjutsu didn't really offer an advantage to Fu either.

Genjutsu could've been the key to victory, but for some annoying reason Kurama always interfered. Fu didn't know what the number of tails had to do with this, but he always broke the illusions in which she trapped Naruto.

It even led to the occasional annoyance from Chomei- that was when Fu and Naruto found out that the two bijuu communicated telepathically. To Fu's dismay and Naruto's hilarity, the two beings, centuries old, acted more like bickering toddlers. Naruto calling him 'Cho-chan', however, had been a grave mistake. Fu had never been so close to victory as that day, using the massive flood of chakra which Chomei gave her in order to beat the disrespectful boy. The childish rivalry between the two bijuu was rather peculiar.

It didn't change, however, the unchangeable fact that Naruto ranked first in taijutsu within the entire class. Sasuke couldn't hold off Fu, and had to give her the position of runner up which he had held for a long time. Tenten didn't do too badly with a fourth place either. Kushina and Yugao were really drilling the bun-haired girl to become a fine kunoichi. Well, a certain Hyuga heiress would've been able to beat her, if only she could muster the determination to do so. But this was how Fu's arrival had upset the 'ranking' within class.

A second change, spurred by the confrontation between Naruto and the three Uchiha had been a bit more awkward.

"Hey, I'm sorry 'bout the fight and all."

"…"

"We were going to grab a bite of ramen, remember?" Naruto frowned, not understanding Ino's change in behavior. Until he saw something in her eyes, only for a second: fear. "Oh… I see… my bone-thingy is indeed a bit gross," Naruto sighed. "I apologize. Forget I asked anything."

"No! I'm not… he's gone," Ino sighed, talking to the puff of smoke left in his wake. She had remained silent for just a second too long, too caught up in overthinking what she was going to say. "Dammit! How did you get so fast with the Shunshin no Jutsu, Naruto-kun?" Her reply would not have changed much, though. She still liked him, just like before, only… whenever she looked at him, she remembered the sight of bones sticking out of him. All the blood, the misshapen and deformed protrusions sticking out of his embattled body... it was the kind of stuff that made her wake up in the middle of night, when the worst nightmares haunted her. It wasn't human.

In a way, the person she loved had also become a person she feared, and it confused her. She knew Naruto would never intentionally hurt her, he was far too kind for that, and still she had those foolish nightmares. She hated herself for it. She hated her mixed feelings.

Still, somehow rumors had spread that Ino had been on a date with Naruto, although the lack of follow-up also was news- big news. It was the type of news that made the girls chasing the Namikaze heir redouble their efforts, fearing that he'd be permanently out of their reach once Ino managed to ensnare him in a second date.

"It has gotten worse than ever before," Sasuke remarked one day. He, Tenten, and Naruto were sitting atop the Academy building, their usual refuge from everyone else. Kurama had gotten a buff of chakra and was still sleeping in the nearby classroom, not too far to risk disruption of his clone-like body, nor facing an immediate lack of chakra. "I'm glad I didn't listen to your advice, Tenten," the Uchiha boy frowned.

"Yeah. Go on a date once, you said. The other girls will leave you alone after that, you said," Naruto glared at his sister. "Now Ino-chan hates my guts and all the other fangirls have gone wacky too."

"Ino doesn't hate you," Tenten chided him. "She's just… confused. Your kekkei genkai isn't exactly the prettiest of sights when you use your own skeleton, you know. Besides, Kurama himself said that you weren't supposed to use your bones that way."

"I was injured, okay! What else could I do? Allow them to hurt Fu?" Naruto grumbled. "I hope your dad kicked those guys' asses, Sasuke."

"It still doesn't make any sense to me. Why would they attack you?" Sasuke repeated his usual question. He loved his clan, fully believing in the greatness of the Uchiha name, to the point where his brother's words and actions increasingly began to confuse him, and yet… Naruto was a rival and a friend. Sasuke knew how much of an impetuous idiot the Namikaze could be, but not to the degree that three grown men would attempt to attack him. It made no sense to Sasuke, it just seemed so honor-less.

It was unbefitting the qualities he always heard his father praise, at least, the few times Fugaku spoke with Sasuke. With Sasuke being weaker than Itachi, Sasuke not being superior to Naruto, Sasuke not being… not being the perfect heir Fugaku _expected_ him to be, his father was remote. While Mikoto assured Sasuke that it wasn't meant like that, Sasuke felt a bit lost.

Oddly, it was with the person he was often compared to that he could relate to most. Naruto was being compared to his father in every step he made.

* * *

"A-are you alright?" a hesitant voice drew her out of her thoughts.

"Hinata-chan?" Ino blinked. "Yeah, I'm okay, don't worry 'bout me!" She put up her usual smile, but not nearly convincingly enough to deceive the byakugan of the Hyuga heiress.

"Is it Naruto-kun?"

"Yeah," Ino sighed after some hesitation, slumping down into her seat again.

"Father said that he got into conflict with a few Uchiha," Hinata frowned. "Is that true?"

"I was there," Ino nodded affirmatively. "They were trying to arrest Fu, the new girl, for some kind of stupid reason. Naruto-kun jumped in when he saw them hitting her."

"Do you think he likes her?" Hinata tried to guess what about this troubled Ino so much. The expression of the blonde was… pained?

"You know how Naruto-kun is," the Yamanaka shrugged. "Too friendly for his own good. So if he sees someone in trouble…" the girl sighed dejectedly. "You can see pretty much everything with those eyes of yours, can't you?"

Being accustomed to other children making fun of her pale eyes, Hinata flinched. "Yes?"

"What? They're the kekkei genkai of your clan, right?" Ino frowned. "I wish I had eyes that could see through anything. But that's not my point. What I want to know… have you ever looked at Naruto-kun with your byakugan?"

The blushing intensified. "Y-yes," Hinata mumbled, embarrassed to admit the fact. Too caught up in her own thought, Ino missed the implications of that embarrassment- luckily for the Hyuga.

"How… During that fight, I saw him use his own skeleton as a weapon," Ino grimaced when she relived those moments. "Is he… when you look at him, is he normal? I mean, like you and me?"

Behind that question, Hinata was shocked to see something else, something which Ino tried to hide: revulsion. Whether he had been oddly reluctant about the matter or not, Hyuga Hiashi _had_ taught his eldest daughter to the best of his ability. While she performed below his expectations, he nonetheless continued with a forced patience that made little sense to the young Hyuga heiress. While her ability with the juken was still subpar, Hinata was very good at discerning another's emotions. Good enough to see that her father hid something from her, and he was far better at hiding his emotions than the distressed Yamanaka.

It was a talent which now provided her with more questions than answers…

* * *

"Wouldn't it be great if the three of us ended up in the same team?" Sasuke mused aloud. They had lunch break, hiding from the others in their usual secluded spot, talking about the exams that would soon come. Several months had passed since the 'Uchiha incident,' as it was dubbed now, months in which Sasuke's popularity in class hadn't exactly improved, in a way akin to how his entire clan was silently shunned these days. The 'Uchiha incident' had been followed by quite a few more occasions where members of the Uchiha clan could be seen in a bad light.

"Seems unlikely," Tenten uttered between bites from her onigiri. "The three of us are ranked too highly to end up in the same team. If I recall correctly, it is customary that the top of the class is paired with the best kunoichi and the worst of the class."

"I guess we've got even more riding on our battle for top of class than usual, doesn't it, Teme?"

"I'm winning this, Dobe," Sasuke smirked. "I outclassed you at the previous ninjutsu examinations, remember?"

"It didn't differ that much," Naruto huffed. "If it hadn't been for that lame Mizuki, I could've scored higher. He and his damn Bunshin no Jutsu."

"Your Henge sucked as well. Oh, and remember genjutsu class?" Sasuke chuckled.

"I remember taijutsu class, Sasuke," Tenten remarked. "Fu didn't leave you much of a chance, did she?"

"You know she's a freak of nature, just like him," Sasuke pointed at Naruto. Or rather, pointing at the seal that Naruto carried. "Although he couldn't even handle a head-butt from Hinata."

"That was because she caught me off guard!" the Namikaze protested. Although he should have noted that him hanging upside-down from the ceiling, a chakra control exercise, right in front of the door opening through which the poor Hyuga had walked in, had not been a smart move. The girl possessed a remarkably hard head.

"But who'd be the worst of class?" Sasuke ignored Naruto, much to the annoyance of the latter. "I bet it'll be a civilian girl…"

"Hey!"

"Tenten-neechan, you know he doesn't mean it like that," Naruto sighed. "It's just… civilians seem to think that being a shinobi is just a fun job or something. They see the rewards, but with no one around to point out the dangers, they don't take the dangers seriously."

"You could say it like that," Sasuke shrugged. He just thought that they were genetically inferior by default, even more so because they lacked proper trainers outside the academy. And while boys at least trained to boast their physical strength, the civilian girls seemed to weaken themselves with their obsession for appearances. For instance, dieting rather than building strength, obsessing with makeup rather than practicing hand seals, prioritizing their nails over their kunai, and so on. "I still don't understand why the academy doesn't weed them out. I don't want such trash in my team."

"You shouldn't always focus on power, Sasuke," Tenten sighed. "Class is going to start again, let's go."

* * *

"And?"

"The pieces are all moving according to my wishes, Kisame."

"You can't predict everything with those fancy eyes of yours…"

"But some things," the cloaked figure said to the imposing shark-like man, "some things are predictable. You really think my clan is going to remain calm?"

"Uchiha have never been the most patient opponents," the monster of Kiri bared his pointed teeth. This was going to be a fun time, for him at least; for the five villages… less so.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

* * *

For the sake of clarifying things to those who brushed over it while reading: this chapter contained a timeskip. We're continuing deeper into the last year, and the exams that determine whether the kids can or cannot be genin are approaching. But it seems like we're getting into a conflict first, next chapter…

Make me and my beta **Illuminated** happy, and leave a **review**!

* * *

-Z-


	14. Examination

**Apophenia**

 **Examination**

* * *

"Calm down. Breathe in, breathe out, slowly. Slower. Even slower. That's more like it. Remember, breathe out just a little longer than you breathe in. I don't want you hyperventilating, understand?"

The young blond nodded, not disrupting his breathing rhythm with speech. The old and retired Sandaime Hokage looked down at the boy with a smile. Getting Namikaze Naruto to sit down and stay calm was something that had taken quite some time to achieve. Hiruzen agreed with Minato's idea: ever since the manifestation of the Kyuubi, Naruto had gotten an excess of energy which caused troublesome behavior. The hyperactivity of the little troublemaker had gone completely off the charts since that moment.

Excess chakra made the boy's life as an academy student hard. Even for the famous 'professor', it had been an exceedingly difficult task to get the boy to master the Bunshin no Jutsu. Normally, children barely had any chakra and had to train to increase their reserves. After some time, normal shinobi would get enough chakra for it to become cumbersome, at which point they needed to learn chakra control exercises. Usually that was around the point when they became genin.

Some, with lower reserves, retained their chakra control and only needed to train for it later. They faced an issue which was harder to overcome: expanding one's chakra reserves required hard work. With chakra being a mixture of physical and spiritual energy, it followed that one had to train the body _and_ the mind.

Normal rules, however, did not really apply to Naruto, nor Fu, for that matter. The young girl had more discipline and control than Naruto, which wasn't exactly a difficult feat. Still, while Fu was rather impulsive, her harsh life had taught her how to listen to a superior or a teacher. As she was gloomy and distant, Hiruzen often chose to respect her need to keep her distance when they were practicing chakra control. By contrast, Naruto was much more labor-intensive for a teacher.

Sure, he could do the basics that the academy demanded- Hiruzen still wondered how those standards had been lowered that much during his reign- but he was extremely wasteful when performing a jutsu. Fu was relatively efficient, but she already wasted amounts of chakra which could put a decent chunin's reserves to shame. Naruto was worse, way worse.

In the present, Hiruzen sighed. "Good, now maintain your focus while generating only a small amount of chakra to execute the Bunshin no Jutsu."

A nod was his answer. A ram, snake, and tiger hand seal followed. "Bunshin no Jutsu!" The exuberant way in which the boy announced the jutsu almost made Hiruzen sigh. But Fu had less restraint, and loudly smacked her palm to her face, and an audible "idiot" followed after it.

Needless to say, Naruto got overexcited again, and the clone was overcharged. The result was a feeble and sickly-looking copy of the boy himself.

"Again?!"

"I did tell you to maintain your focus," Hiruzen strained to keep himself calm. Part of him wanted to bob the child on the head, but the old man had a hunch... a hunch which was confirmed by a laughing little fox.

"Could you please refrain from destabilizing his control, Kurama?"

"My jinchuriki isn't going to be some ignorant weakling," the tiny form of the Kyuubi chuckled. "I'm only raising the bar for him."

"HEY!"

"Shut it, brat. Think of it as a challenge: if you can do the jutsu while I'm messing with your control, you will be even stronger when I'm not messing around."

Naruto pouted. "It still isn't fair."

"Life isn't fair," if the fox could be bothered to shrug, he would've done it. Lying on the cool grass was too comfortable, especially shortly after eating. It made the fox lazy. That laziness also made the creature rather grumpy. "But last time I checked, you at least had the guts to face a challenge. Or do you want to tell me that your sole redeeming quality was flushed down the toilet?"

Hiruzen wondered whether it was grumpiness or just sheer malice that drove the fox to 'train' the boy.

"You will soon be facing the exams, Naruto," Hiruzen decided to intervene before the boy got riled up even more. "The finer aspects of chakra control are still beyond your grasp. At this rate you will not be able to effectively battle with, or against, genjutsu. While your teammates may cover that weakness for you, you should still strive to be as all-round as you can. Remember-"

"-a team is only as strong as its weakest member," Naruto droned, having heard the line countless times. "I wish I had fancy eyes like Sasuke's clan, or the byakugan like Hinata-chan," he muttered.

"It would be wiser to focus on what you _can_ , rather than on what you _cannot_. You must understand and acknowledge your weaknesses to overcome them, but it will be hard work."

"I can work hard," Naruto plopped down on the ground, visibly dejected. "But what good would it do for me?"

"What do you mean?"

"People expect me to be Tou-san, not myself. I'm a disappointment…"

"Last I checked you were set to be top of your class."

"I am. I think. Sasuke is close but… well; it doesn't really matter for either of us. He's never good enough, always compared to Itachi, stuck in another's shadow just like how I'm stuck in Tou-san's shadow."

"I'm sure both your parents would have some firm words if they heard you say this," Hiruzen smiled kindly. "But you should know that neither of them started out as strong as they are now either. Your Kaa-san had pretty much the same issues which you are facing: too much chakra to control it properly, and too little patience to bother learning proper control. Minato, on the other hand… well, he was a prodigy, much like Itachi-san, but even he had to work hard to climb to the top. When he had just left the academy, Minato still had to work hard to expand his chakra reserves. And I think that even now, he still does not have nearly as much chakra as you will have."

"Eh?"

"Minato is extremely efficient when it comes to using chakra, to a degree that even I cannot even compare," Hiruzen chuckled. "And people nicknamed me 'the professor', so that's quite an achievement. But compared to you, neither Minato nor I can hold a candle to you in terms of chakra reserves. Minato may be unrivaled in speed and accuracy, but you will become a different sort of shinobi. And not just because there is a bijuu sealed within you. Remember: never before has there been a jinchuriki like you, Naruto."

"But Tou-san-"

"-Had to work very hard to get as strong as he is now, and study even harder to master the art of fuinjutsu," the old Sarutobi assured the youngster. Well, both youngsters, as Fu was listening intently even though she acted like she didn't. He guessed that she'd rather drop dead from the tree she was attempting to climb than ever admit that she could agree with some of the doubts which Naruto had.

They were jinchuriki, super-weapons, and yet she never felt 'super' in any sense of the word. Hiruzen might tell her that she had plenty of time to improve, but Fu remained skeptical. At the very least, she had no idea of how long she could remain in this peaceful village. If- when- she returned to Takigakure without having become stronger, she would be seen as a failure. Jinchuriki who were regarded as failures ended up having their bijuu extracted from them. The process meant death, although that fate turned out to be less unavoidable than she originally thought. Kushina's survival was nothing less than a miracle.

But if Fu knew one thing, it would be that miracles always happened to others.

Her less-than-positive mood soured even further when she saw a boulder slowly move towards Naruto and Hiruzen. He had definitely improved on coloring the thing, but the shape was still awkward. There weren't any rectangular rocks like that. Especially not those with two holes poked in them, to see through.

"Naruto-niichan!" Yes, it was another 'surprise' attack from their teacher's grandson. Konohamaru was stubborn as a mule. And twice as annoying, in Fu's opinion.

* * *

' _He is Naruto, just the regular Naruto I've always known and admired_ ,' that's what she had tried to convince herself. But every time Ino looked at him, even while he was writing his written exam right now, she saw the monstrous form, with bloodied, torn flesh, and bones growing out of places where they did not belong.

Demon.

She had never understood why some people called him like that, although they never spoke like that when he could hear it, but now she could. Yamanaka Ino wasn't foolish enough to think that he was like that simply because he was a jinchuriki, though. He was one, however, due to the bloodline ability he had.

' _How many years has it been since I first saw him? He is a boy treated like a prince, a boy I'd have treat properly, according to mother, a boy who has an interest in flowers. How could I not have developed feelings for him? He is perfect, a prince! What girl wouldn't fall for a prince? Sure, he is rather goofy and mischievous, but I don't mind that. It is part of the reason why he is cute.'_

Bones weren't cute, though. ' _Am I_ that _superficial?'_ she asked herself. Her brain said no. Her heart repeated the same argument over and over again: the horrid sight of Naruto fighting against those Uchiha.

She silently berated herself: this was not the time to think about that. First, she'd have to finish this written exam, after that the ninjutsu examination, then tomorrow the taijutsu examination. After that, if she passed ( _when_ she passed, she didn't doubt her ability considering how she ranked in the top of their class,) she'd be assigned a team. The team would probably one with Shikamaru and Choji, but… _'What if they failed the exams? What if father managed to change their customs, like I asked, and basically begged, of him?' …c_ ould she end up in a team with Namikaze Naruto?

* * *

"It's a pity I can't look after the kid myself."

"I'm sure you would've loved taking in his team, sensei. But there are more important things at this time. I can't withdraw you from your current activities."

"I know, Minato," the white-haired man sighed deeply. "But the kid's still my godson."

"And I'm sure he would have loved you as his sensei," Minato agreed. "But the matter of Akatsuki is more pressing. He warned us for a reason."

"They'll target the jinchuriki," Jiraiya nodded. Seated in the office of his student, the older man looked out of the window, gazing over the deceptively peaceful village. People enjoyed the prosperity and sanctuary of Konohagakure, amidst a world filled with tensions. But to those who looked underneath the underneath, it was obvious that even Konoha suffered from tensions hidden beneath the surface. "How are the Uchiha?"

"Placated, for now."

"For now?"

"Some grudges go too deep for me to deal with them. It takes time for them to heal, time which I need to buy by keeping both the village and their clan calm."

"Incidents like those idiots that attacked Fu and Naruto didn't help."

"No, that it didn't," Minato wondered why his sensei stated the obvious. "But things seem calm right now."

"Don't you think that there are a few too many of these sorts of incidents?" Jiraiya saw the quizzical look of the Yondaime Hokage. "I know that they serve as Konoha's military police force, but… some of their excesses were too public. At the same time, there were at least two cases that I've heard of that sounded like traps: situations where the Uchiha involved could never do the right thing because it was already too late to truly salvage the situation. The unrest is only increasing, not that we can blame Fugaku for not trying to keep his clan calm, but it feels like he is fighting an uphill battle. Individually, these incidents mean nothing. But, being away from Konoha for most of the time, I usually read about these things only once in a while. Perhaps I'm paranoid, but there seems to be a pattern…"

"I've considered the possibility of someone deliberately trying to undermine the Uchiha, sensei," Minato sighed wearily. "But what can I do? Fugaku is already paranoid enough, to the point where he barely has any contact with his eldest son because he thinks Itachi sided with the village. While he tries to hide it, I also know that he had several conflicts with senior members of his clan, those who are turning to a more extremist way of thinking in response to the way their clan is mistrusted. If I were to tell him that there is someone, or some organization, that might be trying to trick his clan… things would only become worse. Fugaku is trying to balance things, and I'm afraid that telling him will do more harm than good. He is paranoid enough as it is. Not that I am ignore the matter, mind you, but so far I haven't found a single thing that incriminates anyone."

"You know… I'm so darn glad that I refused when sensei asked me to succeed him," Jiraiya laughed mirthlessly. "I will keep my eyes open for any news. As far as I know, Akatsuki has no ties in Konoha yet, so I think it is some third party. I've not heard of rebellious factions within the Uchiha clan, but I'll take a look at that too."

"Inoichi couldn't find a thing in the minds of the captured Uchiha who attacked Naruto. It might be due to some powerful genjutsu, which would, again, point at the Uchiha clan, but there are also other options- like those who'd use the clan everyone already suspects in order to hide their own actions."

"Iwa?"

"Iwagakure still has a grudge against Konoha, and me specifically," Minato nodded. "If the Uchiha would rebel, and a civil war was to unfold, then they would have the perfect opportunity to strike."

"So would Kumogakure," Jiraiya shrugged. "Kumo has been hoarding power for quite some time now. The way they target ninjutsu… the sharingan would be a dream come true to them. And let's not forget that Akatsuki is steadily recruiting more members too. Why do times of peace complicate the situation so much more? Ugh, I'll get back into the field."

"I'm sorry, sensei. In different times I would gladly have appointed you as my son's sensei, I know how much you'd like to settle down, but right now…"

"I know, Minato, I know. Say hi to Kushina and the brats for me, will you? Especially the girl, at least she knows how to respect a shinobi of my stature."

* * *

The world was an odd place. All the firmly ingrained values which had been taught to her seemed irrelevant here. In Takigakure, a girl who still stuttered out of shyness wouldn't last long. Here, in Konohagakure, she deftly defeated her opponent in a taijutsu spar. The forms were all tested now – the individual part of the exams- but now the sparring part had started.

Iruka, their teacher, had made things a little more 'fun' by making a little tournament out of it. A shy person like Hyuga Hinata would've been amongst the first whom Fu expected to drop out, but instead… instead, she mopped the floor with pretty much everyone, with seemingly minimal difficulty.

"Seems like her dad taught her well," Naruto remarked- him being amongst the few who was still in the tournament. "He's a cold bastard, but I suppose he isn't completely bad as a teacher."

Tenten smacked him on the head. "That's a clan head you're talking about."

"So what? An asshole is an asshole, regardless of his rank or social position," Naruto scowled. Fu looked away. She didn't know why her fellow jinchuriki hated the man, or why it was any of his business. Then again, when the Uchiha tried to arrest her, it hadn't been any of his business either.

' _He's probably just a meddler, thinking he can get away with everything because he's the son of the Hokage.'_

" _ **Or he does those things because he thinks it's the right thing to do**_ _,"_ Chomei suggested.

Fu had trouble believing him. Chomei seemed too insistent on having her like him. Was it part of their bet? Chomei had wagered that Fu would come to like the foolish boy, but she continued to fail to see how that was supposed to happen. She'd seen him fight and beat his sister last round, and knew him from their joint training under the supervision of Sarutobi Hiruzen, knew he wasn't a pushover in direct combat. But… well, in the world of shinobi where there wasn't often such a clear distinction between friend and foe, a shinobi usually fought from the shadows.

Naruto was too naïve, according to Fu's view on the world, as was the vast majority of the children in this class. _'Well, Tenten seems to have a functional brain, and that one orphan boy who is fighting for his chances in this class filled with clan heirs seemed to have the right mindset as well. That boy knows the real face of a hidden village, growing up in the same part of town as Tenten has, much unlike our pampered classmates.'_

"Uchiha Sasuke and Fu," Iruka announced the match-ups of the semi-finals. Fu heard Naruto mumble something about having to fight against the Juken. Apparently, he had not really fought in hand-to-hand combat against any of the other children before Fu arrived. So, it wasn't much of a surprise that this day seemed like a big party to Naruto, although he was rated more for his ability to restrain himself than for his ability to fight. Less amused was Hinata, who seemed rather worried after noticing Naruto's enthusiastic smile.

" _ **Careful Fufu-chan, the Uchiha isn't an opponent to take lightly**_ _,"_ Chomei advised.

As if that wasn't obvious, Fu internally scoffed. While she thought him to be a tad arrogant, he was undeniably skilled. Where Naruto seemed to embody brute strength, the Uchiha was far more fluid and precise. He was not as much as the Hyuga, mind you, but rather a balance between the two extremes.' _I know. He's fast, agile, and has a good sense of timing. I saw that in his previous matches.'_

Fu still couldn't be too worried. Unlike the Inuzuka or the Akimichi, Fu was an actual shinobi. Of the lot of them, she was the only one who was already a genin- a Takigakure genin, that is. This time at Konoha's academy has still been valuable, considering how Takigakure's training was rather inferior in comparison. ' _But I'm faster and far stronger. Unlike him, I don't have to worry about my defenses as much. There's no way in hell he's going to get me to admit defeat,'_ Fu's expression sank into a dark glare. Not that she was angry at the Uchiha, but she was looking forward to setting things straight with Naruto. Taking down Naruto's best friend seemed to be a good first step.

* * *

"Yugao!"

"Yes, Kushina-sama?"

"One of these days, I'm going to kick your ass for that 'sama' stuff," Kushina glared at the teasing Anbu.

The young woman sighed. "I know you're on edge because Naruto is doing his exams right now, but-"

"On edge? I'm not stressed at all!"

"You're acting like a chipmunk on coffee," Yugao stared impassively at the red-haired woman. "And it's not like I don't want to know how my little brother did either, but we've got another job to focus on."

"Ugh. I wish I still had my chakra. I can't even properly spy on him."

"But what does your feeling tell you?" the unmasked Anbu smiled softly at the dejected expression of the person who was practically her mother- or older sister. She knew that Kushina could feel the boy's emotions to some extent. The mother and son, bound by blood but also by burden, they were truly a unique case. After all, no other person had ever survived the extraction of a bijuu before. Former and current jinchuriki had a bond beyond that of normal mother and son.

"He feels happy," Kushina admitted. Yugao nodded, and continued the preparations. That Naruto and Tenten would succeed was something no one had even doubted. But, whether it was expected or not, it would still be a celebration within the Namikaze household.

* * *

"Those two…"

"Don't be so jealous," Tenten smirked. "You honestly expected something different?"

"Hn."

"Uchiha are sore losers, Pandagirl."

"Stop laughing, Kyuubi."

"And stop calling me Pandagirl," Tenten agreed with Sasuke. "Though I do think Hinata should've made it more difficult for him."

"You know how she is around Naruto," Sasuke grumbled.

"Oh, stop pouting around. Fu was stronger and beat you, so what?"

"I should've won."

"Why?" Kurama smirked. He was having a field day. Seeing an Uchiha lose was perfect entertainment. Hearing that same Uchiha mope after his loss only made things even better! "Minty beat you fair and square."

"If I had the sharingan…"

* * *

Stretching, the boy rubbed over the few spots on his arms that were still sore. Juken was truly annoying to fight against at close quarters. Still, judging by Iruka's surprise, he wasn't supposed to be able to just reopen the tenketsu which Hinata had closed. It only took a little of Kurama's chakra and the problem had been fixed: Naruto really didn't see what the big deal was.

But now he'd have a fight where he wouldn't need to pull his punches. At least, not as much as with everyone else. One last little spar and the exams were over!

' _Only need to go shopping for the pile of raw meat I promised Kurama,'_ Naruto smiled at the thought of how he had bribed the bijuu. He wasn't going to risk messing up the ninjutsu parts of the exams, simply because Kurama thought it to be 'a good training' for him to mess up his chakra control. Well, not during the exams: it would cost quite some ryo to purchase the promised amount, but Naruto would get it done.

Better losing some ryo than flunking the exam!

Looking at the little fox- Kurama was still enjoying himself by riling up Sasuke- Naruto wondered if this would end up with another feud between Kurama and Chomei. The two bijuu had a bad habit of acting like two quarreling children, except that these children each had enough chakra to flatten the entire village.

Oh, and Fu still disliked him for some reason.

Naruto couldn't tell why, but it was obvious enough that his fellow jinchuriki disliked him. Why? Tenten theorized that it was jealousy, as Fu didn't have the family or life that Naruto had. Sasuke agreed, but for different reasons: he argued that Fu envied Naruto for being stronger. Naruto wondered why Sasuke always thought everything revolved around the power someone had. Kurama mostly remained silent, apart from the occasional remark that Chomei was jealous because he had less tails. All in all, Naruto really did not understand the situation, as he could not believe Fu was petty enough to let herself be led by such emotions.

"Ready?" Iruka asked the two. Fu and Naruto merely nodded, both too focused to speak up. "Okay: begin!"

Fu took the initiative. The immediately launched herself at Naruto, fist aiming for his chin. He sidestepped, but before he could launch a counterattack Fu's foot hit Naruto against the head. Skidding over the ground, Naruto was actually dazed for a moment. Still, he stood up. Spitting out some blood, as well as one of his molars.

"Damn, that actually hurt," he frowned. "This is just a spar!"

"For a true shinobi there isn't something as silly as 'just a spar'."

"What's your problem?"

"What is _your_ problem?" Fu glared at him. "Can't deal with the real life of a shinobi?"

One can say a lot of things about Namikaze Naruto, but patience wasn't exactly a virtue that he embodied. As he was hotheaded and rash, Tenten often had to act as a voice of reason that stopped him from doing something stupid. Tenten wasn't around this time, though. He tried to restrain himself, though, knowing how she'd berate him if he lost his cool now.

It wasn't like Fu had done that much damage with that cheap shot. Regrowing the molar he had just lost was easy enough- he silently thanked the gift of Shikotsumyaku. And whatever rupture in his cheek it was that had caused him to taste his blood had already closed. But looking into the challenging, almost mocking, orange eyes of his opponent was something that made him lose his calm.

' _If she wants to piss me off, then so be it! I've played nice long enough, tried to be friendly, understanding, and all,'_ he stood straight, and everyone watching saw a faint shimmer of chakra around him, if only it lasted but a second. Fu saw it too.

Well, she had used her bijuu's chakra first, so she couldn't complain. She could complain, however, when he suddenly moved. He moved far faster now. A furious exchange of fists and kicks followed, one in which Fu had to push herself to her limits. The longer it continued, the more she struggled. The more she had to struggle, the more irate she became.

Iruka and the other genin-prospects backed away when Fu spouted two wings of pure chakra. This was an examination for those who wanted to become genin, yet the chakra that was emitted was more appropriate for exams for jonin.

Strengthened or not, the fist she intended to plant in Naruto's stomach was still stopped, clenched in his iron grip. There was no time to be startled; Fu already saw his slit crimson eyes. She growled out in frustration, and tried to gather even more of Chomei's chakra.

"If this is how far you want to take this," Naruto growled. "Then FINE!"

This time it wasn't a faint shimmer of chakra. This time it was a dense layer of orange chakra, bubbling as if it was boiling. She tried to stop the bone-encased fist, but failed. Right now, there was nothing about the boy that she could label as goofy or childish- not that Fu could see him.

She blacked out when his fist harshly plummeted into her stomach.

"Winner… Namikaze Naruto," Iruka announced, although rather weakly. This hadn't been something he had anticipated. Sure, Fu distanced herself from most others, but for her to lash out against Naruto like this… no, he hadn't seen this coming- especially not that Naruto would snap and answer with equal force.

"Well, Minty had that coming to her," Kurama calmly remarked. "You might want to bring her to a hospital though. Perhaps I allowed the meatbag to use a little too much of my chakra."

"Kurama," Tenten groaned. "Why?"

"She used Chomei's," the fox scoffed. "She should've known that my meatbag's seal is superior. That _I_ am superior. No seven-tailed loser is going to best me."

"Childish," Sasuke muttered. It was rather hypocritical in Tenten's opinion, considering how the Uchiha was at least as focused on measuring strength.

"You heard her. She saw it as a serious fight. My little contribution only pushed the brat to give her what she wanted," Kurama stretched lazily before walking to Naruto. "That wasn't completely bad," he allowed, as for a change, he complimented the boy. Well, he didn't insult him. That was probably as much as the boy could possibly get at this point. "Let's go shopping."

"You sure you're not a nine-tailed wolverine?" Naruto joked impassively. The wide berth the other students gave him, that look they all gave him, both reminded him too much of the way Ino had acted ever since that incident. Perhaps people were right, when thinking he was out of earshot, calling him a monster. Worse, the person who seemed to dislike him most was someone who should be able to understand his position far better than practically everyone else.

So, he was a failure to some, as he couldn't compete against the shadow of his father, and a monster to others, both because he had a bijuu sealed within him and due to the kekkei genkai he had gained due to Kurama. They were not exactly things he could be too happy about. But, at least he wasn't alone. Kurama took his place atop Naruto's head, and Tenten hurried to his side. It was family. If not for his family, and even Kurama himself, Naruto didn't know how he'd be right now. Oh, and then there were his friends.

"Where's Sasuke?"

"Went home. You know how he is after a loss," Tenten shrugged. "But why did Fu do that, Naruto?"

"I guess she really dislikes me," he sighed. "Not sure why. Ever since the first day she joined school, she seemed to have something against me. During training at Jii-san's place she never said much, especially not to me directly. Still… I'm not sure what I did wrong."

"Perhaps the problem isn't you, but her," Kurama suggested. Knowing that the rather slow-working mind of his jinchuriki needed clarification, he explained it further. "If she had something against you before you ever met her, it would mean that it isn't you who did something wrong, but rather that she has the wrong idea about you. Perhaps she had certain expectations of who you were?"

"It's because I'm nothing like Tou-san, isn't it?"

"I don't think Fu cares about that," Tenten frowned pensively. "Rather, I think it is because of the burden you two share. From what little she spoke about Takigakure, I get the idea that she was treated rather badly there."

"She was," Kurama knew. Chomei had told him enough of Takigakure, especially when talking about how life in Konoha was so much better in comparison. The two bijuu did more than just bickering, although neither had told their jinchuriki too much. They wouldn't share the same interests and ideals anyway. Whatever they were: these children had lived only a little more than a decade, whereas Kurama and Chomei had lived for centuries.

"That's no reason to act up like this, is it?"

"Ask her," Kurama proposed. "The only way to find out is from the source, from her." Kurama wasn't blind. He saw the girl looking at them, when Naruto and his friends didn't notice it. If Fu truly despised the Konoha way of life, she wouldn't want to see it either. No, she had her dreams… and had walked the painful path of accepting the harsh nature of the world.

Kurama had seen it. The girl was jealous of his jinchuriki, jealous of how he lived, jealous of his innocence and naivety. It was a jealousy… that even Kurama felt at times, not that he'd ever admit it. Ever.

* * *

While Tenten, Kurama, and Naruto walked to their home, Uchiha Sasuke went on his way in relative silence. Sure, there were others of their class heading the same way, excitedly talking about the exams, bragging on how they had performed, but also confused by the final match.

They were scared. Sasuke could hear it in their voices. Then again, between two jinchuriki, how did normal humans compare? Yes, they were right: that realization was demotivating, infuriating. And yet… being close to Naruto, Sasuke knew how hard his classmate, his friend and rival, had to work for it. He did get lucky with the Shikotsumyaku kekkei genkai, but it took a great deal of training for him to get it on the level he was at now.

Had Fu remained levelheaded, she could've searched for a weakness in his defenses. He was careless, impetuously attacking while trusting his innate defenses to keep him safe. She had the speed and the brute strength to match Naruto, and Sasuke was convinced that she could have won, yet her anger made her fight inefficiently. In that contrast, she had performed better in the match against him, even though she had held back, Sasuke begrudgingly admitted.

"Well done."

"Nii-san?" Sasuke let his kunai down. Startled by his elder brother, he had reflexively grabbed and aimed the weapon before he had even realized that it had been Itachi. "Why do you always have to do this?" Idly, he noted that his classmates were already gone. Had he, lost in thought as he was, gotten this close to the compound already? Or was there some sort of genjutsu that had led them away?

"You and Shisui sound too much alike," Itachi smiled softly. Yes, the seasoned Anbu was rather stoic and distant, but to his little brother he hadn't changed all that much. Unfortunately, Itachi still gave Sasuke the usual poke he always gave when he didn't have time for his little brother…

"Perhaps we wouldn't react that way if you didn't constantly sneak up on others."

"You're a shinobi now," Itachi shrugged. "A shinobi should be perceptive, keeping a close eye at his surroundings at all times."

"I know…"

"Yet, you were so lost in thought that you didn't even notice the signs of my presence that I deliberately left," the older brother scolded the younger. "If this had been a mission, you could have been injured or worse- not to mention that you'd be a liability to the rest of your team."

"Yeah, yeah," Sasuke pouted. Pouted! Most of his class would tumble over in surprise to see Uchiha Sasuke with this childish expression.

"Let's go, Sasuke," Itachi laughed. "We've got to celebrate your promotion."

"But I haven't even officially been promoted yet!"

"Yeah, you can celebrate it at home tomorrow. I can't attend that party. Mission stuff." Well, he could, but he didn't want to. Itachi and Fugaku would likely start another argument, and Itachi didn't want to ruin Sasuke's moment. Besides, his little brother was always eager when he got an opportunity to spend some time alone with his big brother. That aspect about Sasuke had never changed. and Itachi hoped it never would- despite all the things that had yet to come.

* * *

A yellow, blinding flash stopped Naruto and Tenten in their tracks, shortly before they reached their house. Before they realized what was going on, hands reached out to a shoulder of each, and they were already gone.

"SURPRISE!"

Both kids blinked, still blinded by the flash of chakra- their father's chakra, obviously. Kurama's utter lack of reaction was enough for Naruto to know that this wasn't some shady kidnapping. It was not that Kurama wasn't blinded- he was annoyed enough to make an attempt at biting Minato on his ankle.

"Kaa-chan?" Naruto was the first to recover his eyesight, and the crimson hair of his mother nearly immediately covered his eyes, as she drew both children into a hug. When she let go, Naruto saw the wide proud smile on her face.

"Congratulations," she ruffled through his hair.

"But the scores-"

"-are published tomorrow," Minato finished, "but as Hokage, I just happened to get the paperwork first. My job has some perks too, you know. Of course, it was also a valid excuse to call it a day."

Only after Tenten gasped did Naruto realize where he had taken them. The gentle glow of the sun illuminated the village, the entire village. In one glance, Naruto saw the entire village. It was a view worthy of a kage indeed. They sat atop the Hokage Monument. Minato, Kushina, and Yugao had brought food and drinks, plus blankets to sit upon. They were celebrating their promotion to genin (even if it wasn't official yet) in the most beautiful place in town.

Seeing the glistering blue eyes of his son, Minato pulled Naruto into a hug of his own. Naruto was glad that Yugao distracted Tenten, wanting to hear every detail on their exams, so none of the others saw his tears.

This view, this village, this was what he was doing it for. Never before had he realized it so clearly. Genin was but the first step on the road, but not the last. At that moment, Namikaze Naruto swore to protect Konoha to his last bone. Even if some of the people of Konoha thought of him as a monster, he would endure. No enemy would lay hands on the sanctity of Konohagakure no Sato. This was what the Hokage protected, safeguarded from all the terrors that were looming out in this vast world. One day, he'd make his parents proud, and make this _his_ responsibility.

He still knew so little about their world…

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

* * *

Is it envy? Disdain? Or simply rivalry? Fu definitely has her issues with other people, with trusting anyone. To see the one person she thought would be similar to her instead be like all the others… I can't imagine that to be an easy thing to accept.

Make me and my beta **Illuminated** happy, and leave a **review**! One last question: who should become Naruto's sensei?

* * *

-Z-


	15. Team 7

**Apophenia**

 **Team 7**

* * *

"Are you three still bickering about what team you'll end up in?" Shikamaru asked in his usual lazy tone. He looked at Naruto, Tenten, and Sasuke… barely hiding his surprise. As if it was all obvious. "Of course you three aren't going to be in one team."

"Eh?"

"It's a given that Ino, Chōji, and I are going to be one of the teams," Shikamaru sighed. "Ino will likely be very troublesome about it at first, but it is inevitable. Beyond that it is unlikely that you two are going to be in one team," he pointed at Naruto and Sasuke. "It makes the entire thing rather obvious, doesn't it?"

"Hey, wait up Shika," Naruto exclaimed. Shikamaru had walked past them and headed to his own seat. "What do you mean 'it is all obvious'?"

"Naruto, keep your voice down," Iruka shouted upon entering the room. Considering how eager the remaining students were, as those who were still present had passed the exams, it took him some time before he finally managed to get the room silent. Even the rather overeager fangirls were waiting in anticipation as to what was to come. Of course, if not for Tenten, neither Naruto nor Sasuke were sure if they could've entered the room so easily. But now that Iruka was here, everyone went into a tense silence.

Today was the big day, after all.

"Starting today," Iruka scraped his throat. "All of you are real shinobi. But you are still genin, and the hard journey that lies ahead has just started. Now you will soon get missions to help the village, so today, after you all received your exam scores this morning and received your hitai-ate, we will create the three-man teams and each team will be assigned a jōnin-sensei. You will follow your sensei's instructions in order to successfully complete your missions."

"Woohoo!" None could tell whether it was Naruto or Kiba who broke the silence first. Their timing had become quite good, after all these years.

"Naruto, Kiba, both of you shut up or you'll make sure you're punished according," Iruka growled, not bothering to figure out which of the two had started the shouting match.

"You can't!" Kiba laughed.

"Yeah, we've graduated!"

"You are still not assigned to a jōnin-sensei, so technically you still fall under my command," the teacher smiled just a little too sweetly. "I suppose I will include that in the letter that Tsume-san and Kushina-san will receive…"

"Crap!"

"Ahem, back to the point… We tried to balance each team's strength," Iruka continued with how he had prepared his final speech. Naruto knew very well that Iruka always prepared thoroughly, what resulted in the man being rather boring. Sure, he was a nice guy and all, but as a teacher he was a bit boring. He had his speeches prepared and droned what he planned to say. Naruto liked it better when people had to improvise. Not that Iruka appreciated his attempts to disrupt the lessons.

Reading up names from a list was both incredibly dull as it was incredibly exciting. After all, what Iruka was about to say would be pretty darn important to their young careers. It was a bit odd how Iruka skipped some numbers, teams three and six for instance, but Naruto quickly realized that there were more genin teams around. While there were students promoted to genin every year, those under a jōnin sensei didn't automatically promote to chūnin within the following year.

Now that he thought about it… he knew of plenty of genin teams that didn't have a jōnin-sensei. Most were led by a chūnin. He never considered it before, but he wondered what the difference was. If he asked Tenten, then she could have told him that genin teams under a jōnin sensei were expected to become great shinobi, valuable assets to the village, whereas the weaker genin who weren't expected to come all that far would be more likely to be a 'professional genin'. One who'd operate under the command of a chūnin, restricted to guard duties and those sorts of tasks.

They were in a class filled with clan heirs, on the other hand, and children of those bloodlines were expected to amount to more than such generic rank-and-file shinobi, expected to do more than just such menial tasks.

Tenten had often wondered once where she would have ended up if not for her adoption into the Namikaze household. The expectations for kunoichi were already lower than for their male counterparts, as they usually retired once they married and gave birth to the next generation. On top of that 'handicap', she also happened to be an orphan who had no known ties to any clan. If not for Kushina and Yūgao teaching her like they did, Tenten would likely only have had her bukijutsu to rely on. Although her aim was unquestionably superb, proper shinobi and kunoichi were expected to be more balanced. Complete specialization was, usually, a rare thing amongst the higher ranks. While all favored certain areas, there were but a very few who truly only used one area. Maito Gai was such a rare figure, who had reached the rank of jōnin while only relying on taijutsu.

"Team 7: Namikaze Naruto," Iruka announced- a lot of gasps and suddenly eager looks spread through the classroom. After all, most of them wanted to be in his team. Shikamaru just shook his head, wondering if anyone ever bothered to remember the things which Iruka told them. It was so obvious. "Tenten," Iruka continued. Yes, obvious. She scored highest on bukijutsu, did very well on taijutsu (of the Kunoichi only Hinata beat her score) and ninjutsu was an easy pass too. In the end she ranked as the top kunoichi, who'd always get in one team with the best of the males.

"Woohoo!" Naruto exclaimed.

"And Fū of Takigakure," Iruka finished.

"What?!"

"You heard me, Naruto," the teacher sighed. "You will be in a team with Tenten and Fū."

"Why her?"

"Take it up with your father," Iruka shrugged.

The mint-haired girl scowled, offended by Naruto's protests. Rather pointless, considering how she had lashed out against him the day before, but still. "Just don't get in my way."

"Top of the class, top kunoichi…" Sasuke began to chuckle. "Those two are usually paired with the dead last."

Fū couldn't decide which was worse: the remark itself or the snickering people. She decided that Naruto was the worst, as she saw him giving Sasuke a thumbs-up. "But can't we have Sasuke in our team?"

"No Naruto, and that's final. Sasuke is part of team nine," Iruka hoped this plan would work out. Sure, putting both jinchūriki in one team made sense, and adding Tenten to it even more. Tenten was one of the few people whom Fū seemed to tolerate, even speak to on occasion, while Tenten at the same time was also one of the few who could keep Naruto in line. And Kurama, for that matter. Iruka made no illusions: parts of the pranks which Naruto had committed over the years had to be thought out by Kurama- Naruto wasn't _that_ clever.

Team eight consisted of a disappointed looking Sakura, Shino (Naruto had never noticed that the Aburame had passed the exams), and Inuzuka Kiba. Well, and in extension Akamaru, of course. Sasuke was teamed up with Jun, an orphan boy who used to be the dead last of their class, who for some odd reason gave Fū a very dirty look, and a dejected Hinata. Naruto snickered when he saw Sasuke cringe, the moment Sakura loudly declared that Hinata had become her enemy.

"Seems we both have bad luck," Naruto whispered to him.

"I'm not sure what's worse… I think I'd rather pick the one who'd actively tried to kill me over some dead weight," Sasuke groaned.

"Cheer up, at least Hinata doesn't make it her life goal to get into your pants," Naruto smirked.

The Uchiha simply gave a blank stare in return, wondering whether or not the Namikaze boy even realized the object of the Hyūga's affections. Naruto could be pretty dense at times.

"Team ten: Nara Shikamaru, Akimichi Chōji, and Yamanaka Ino," was the last team which Iruka announced. Ino looked rather dejected. But Naruto wondered if she really wanted to be in a team with him. He guessed this was for the best for both of them. He wasn't sure what he felt for her, and she clearly needed some time to process what she had seen.

He didn't admit it openly, but it had hurt him. She had always been a good friend, and one of the few with whom he could talk about flowers and such, but her recent behavior was… well, it was logical. He couldn't blame her for it. And perhaps that was the part that hurt the most, that it was logical for her to be frightened or repulsed by his ability to manipulate his own skeleton. Ironically, none of the 'fangirls' had ended up in a team with their favorite subject, and if Naruto had given it any thought he would realize that this was probably for the best.

"Okay, you'll be off now. I expect you all to return to this room right after your lunch break," Iruka finished the meeting. "At that time each team's sensei will come and pick you up, and you'll officially stop being my students."

The announcement was met with a loud cheer that saddened the teacher a little. He wondered if these children were really ready for what was waiting for them out there. How long would their naivety and innocence last?

Iruka sighed. He had done what he could, and now it was up to them to prove that they'd be able to endure all that may come.

* * *

She was pretty much seething with anger right now. It had been bad enough that when she finally found someone of her own kind, he turned out to be a pampered little prince. It was worse that this spoiled brat had even overpowered her, that no matter how hard she tried he kept defeating her. But then… then she had to get in the same team as the person who had frustrated her to no end? As the dead last of their class while he had ranked as first?

Yes, it was a grave understatement to say that Fū was furious.

Somewhere in the back of her mind she heard Chōmei's attempts to calm her down, but she shut him out. All she could think of was the way Namikaze Naruto had laughed at her.

Why? She had been given a second chance after her home village had ruined her entire life by sealing Chōmei into her- not that she blamed the bijuu for any of it. The people of Takigakure had treated her as something lower than thrash, and then those three Konoha nin had swept her away. One of them, the girl named Tayuya, had even treated her as a friend.

And then they had dumped her in this hellhole.

' _To think that, for a moment, I actually believed that the Hokage and his wife were good people,'_ Fū hid herself in a dark alley, not wanting anyone to see her tears. ' _But I know that the bastard personally approves of the teams that the academy suggests. Why did he do this to me? He hates me, just like everyone else. They all laugh at me! I'm just a weapon to them, one that they bullied away from Taki. I bet that that blond bastard is laughing his ass off with that moron of a son of his. I bet that that brat asked his father to put me in his team, so that they could ridicule me even more!'_

* * *

At a different place in the village, unaware of the irrational and negative spiral of thoughts, Namikaze Minato was going through his daily pile of files when someone knocked at the door of his office. "Come in," he muttered absentmindedly. If his secretary let whoever it was through, it must have been someone who had an appointment. He was, however, too absorbed in what he was currently reading to bother to take a look at the clock. Never mind sensing whose chakra signature would be on the other side of the door.

The door opened with a loud creak, what reminded him of sending a message to the maintenance staff, the person who had knocked entered the office.

"Ah, Itachi, I was expecting you," Minato smiled kindly. "Take a seat."

Waiting for his Hokage to finish whatever report he had been working at, Uchiha Itachi remained patient, stoic as ever.

"I take it you are confused?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama. I was not expecting _this_ to be my new mission."

"I thought I asked Kakashi to prepare you for this," Minato scratched his chin. "Oh well, it's not like any of us could have been prepared for this type of duty."

"I suppose."

Seeing the hesitance in the Uchiha, Minato laughed. "Are you worried?"

"I fear bringing shame to my clan, during these troubled times," the young Uchiha admitted. "Are you sure that I'm the right person for this, Hokage-sama?"

"You fear shaming your clan, and yet you hesitate when you are selected for something so prestigious," Minato pointed out. "Listen, Itachi… I know that there is a lot of unrest amongst the people of your clan. Your father, Fugaku, tries to keep things calm, but even he can't control everything. No, it is better to set a firm example for the village. For the entire nation. This is why I recommended you, specifically."

"The moment _something_ goes wrong I'll end up shaming my clan again, just like the kidnap situation several years ago. I do not think it is wise for me to accept that-"

"Who said you were given a choice?" Minato dropped his nice-guy façade for a second, showing Itachi a glimpse of the man who was feared across all nations. "My decision stands."

"As you command, Hokage-sama," Itachi bowed, resigning himself to his fate.

"Though I might add…" Minato said softly, just before Itachi could close the door behind him. "You can consider this to be a test for you, Itachi. I truly hope you do not fail me."

The door closed, but before the Hokage could continue working on his pile of papers, it opened once again.

"Wow, what did you say to the poor kid to make him look even more ghost-like than usual?"

"Kushina, don't be so harsh on Itachi," Minato chuckled. "He just prefers keeping things formal, all the time, and he's a bit of stoic type, so don't expect him to just open up like that. Besides, it'll serve him well in his upcoming assignment. But I take it you didn't choose to visit little old me because of Itachi, did you, Kushina-chan?"

"Am I that obvious?" the red-haired woman scowled slightly, knowing all too well when her husband was teasing her. "I felt something… Naruto felt distressed by something, and I know he's getting assigned to a team today, so-"

"So you wish to know about his team," Minato finished her sentence for her. "I seem to recall that Mito-sama often used to scold you for being nosy."

"Want to sleep on the couch?" she threatened.

"No, dear," the Fourth Hokage gulped.

"Then why is our son feeling so conflicted about his team?"

"Naruto is obviously a high-profile target for any other village, due to being blood-related to the Hokage. In a lesser extent, as she is adopted, Tenten will also be targeted. While Tenten might not be our daughter by blood, she still holds great value as a potential hostage. I don't doubt that the other villages are aware of her existence. Just as we spy on them, they will inevitably also be spying on us," Minato tiredly gazed at the portraits of his predecessors. "But beyond that reason, I know that our son is… impetuous would be a good word to describe him, I suppose. Tenten can rein him in, as she usually does anyway. Her influence on Naruto will make it easier for their sensei. Because, he has to make sure that they are well prepared for the real work, considering the dangers they will be facing. Just like you, I always wanted the two of them to have a happy childhood, but now that they've become genin we can't shield them from the real world for much longer."

"And the council did not disagree?" Kushina frowned. "I knew you were planning this, but I expected them to object. You know, because they're basically siblings."

"They agreed with my arguments. Even more so due to the third member of their team. As much as Naruto and Tenten will be targets, so too will Fū face a lot of dangers. I could put them in other teams, and 'spread' the threat, but that would be pointless. They'd be targeted anyway. And this doesn't put the other children at risk."

"That's rather calculative."

"I'm afraid it is," Minato's smile never reached his eyes, which remained deadly serious. "I don't like this any more than you do, Kushina, but this is the consequence of who we are. It is a consequence of the burden that we had to force on Naruto. But as much as I had to reason as a Hokage in this situation, I also thought as a father. I gave convincing arguments for teaming up Naruto and Tenten, but the same could be done for Fū. Naruto and Fū both require similar training because their burdens are comparable. They will be able to improve each other, and aid in those cases where the other fails to find the right answer. After all, none of my jōnin can really help them in their struggles, not in the way another jinchūriki can."

"I wish I had not lost my ability to fight," Kushina sighed.

"If you had not, Naruto would not have been forced to carry his burden, and you would have been targeted by Akatsuki in his stead. Anyway, apart from the what-if's, I basically ignored the usual rule of balancing out the genin teams. I used the technicality that Fū scored lowest on the average grades, as she has no scores on the tests of earlier academy years, but everyone with a functioning brain will know that she's not truly the dead last of class. No, the only real issue in this case is that Naruto and Fū apparently had been involved in some kind of fight."

"What?" Kushina blinked.

"Iruka's report mentioned that Fū took things a little too far in their spar."

"She seemed like a nice girl. A bit scrawny, and way too silent, but still."

"I must admit that I don't really know why they had such a falling-out. Frankly, I had hoped they'd befriend each other, considering how they share similar burdens. But apparently I was wrong. Hopefully their sensei will be able to fix that."

"…about that, do you honestly think it's a good idea to put an Uchiha in charge of their team?"

* * *

Something or someone had flashed in and out of the classroom, leaving a bewildered Iruka with a note on the table. "Err… it would seem team seven is expected to be at training ground seven… in ten minutes," he scratched his chin. The clock had barely reached one o'clock, but due to their excitement all the students who had qualified had already been present.

The deafening silence was broken by the cheer of a certain Namikaze, who grabbed his sister's hand and dragged her out- pointedly ignoring the other jinchūriki in the process. A little fox followed in the boy's wake, not bothering to hide its annoyance.

"Unusual," Iruka sighed, somewhat annoyed that the jōnin-sensei of team seven had left him with a floor full of leaves. And with the students now graduated, it meant he couldn't give anyone detention and make them sweep the floor. "Anyway, the _normal_ jōnin will now come in one by one and collect his or her students."

"What on earth did just happen?" Kiba turned to Hinata, wondering if her dōjutsu had picked up what his eyes had failed to see.

"Someone used the Shunshin no Jutsu, only at such speed that I could not see who," the Hyūga heiress said apologetically.

* * *

"So we're at the spot, and there's no one here?" Naruto grumbled.

"Perhaps you should think of it as a test," Kurama yawned, lazily situated on top of Naruto's head. "After all, a sloppy written exam or some demonstrations are hardly enough to qualify as a proper shinobi." He hid the fact that he had seen what was about to happen from Kushina's perspective already. Lying back and enjoying the show was what the tiny fox intended to do.

"That would make sense," Tenten, ever the more reasonable of the two adoptive siblings. "But if someone was to test us, shouldn't we first need to know what the test is about?"

A lone paper fell down from the tree under which they were standing.

" _First test: failed,_ " it read.

"What?! Why did we fail? How? What was even tested?" Naruto sputtered.

That was the moment when Fū finally arrived, with a scowl on her face. Being left behind by her 'team' was not what she considered to be a good thing, though she had expected as much from her fellow jinchūriki. The notion that she had been the one to push him away was something she gladly suppressed. Not that it stopped Chōmei from nagging about it, mind you.

Another paper fluttered down.

" _Now that you're all complete, I suppose giving the three of you a second chance would be the proper thing to do. I hope from now, you three can move as one. As for your test: find me, and then stop me from escaping."_

"Three as one?" Naruto blinked.

"That's the idea of a team, numbskull," Fū groused. "So we've got to find someone we haven't seen. This is going to be great…"

"The paper doesn't point out how long-"

A third paper fell down. " _Three hours."_

"…"

"This bastard is just sitting right above us, and we can't even sense him," Tenten paled. "And we're going to have to catch him?"

"How do you know our sensei is male?" Naruto randomly wondered.

"An educated guess," she pointed. "The handwriting."

"Ohhh… okay," he nodded. "So, what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

"Idiot," Fū rolled her eyes and walked away.

"Hey, wait! Fū!?" Tenten tried, but failed to keep the girl from stalking off on her own. It was obvious to her that Fū knew very well what the point of this test was, yet at the same time the girl completely refused it. 'Three as one', it was perhaps the most blatantly obvious hint towards teamwork in the history of the five elemental nations, and yet it was easily thrown aside.

' _Damn, I suppose that little grudge will continue festering for a while. I really hope they're not going to explode on each other,'_ Tenten grimaced.

"Come on Nee-chan, we've got a sneaky sensei to catch!"

"But-" Naruto had rushed off before she could properly object, leaving her no choice but to follow.

* * *

True to his expectations, Kurama was entertained quite a bit. Half an hour had passed, and the two genin still hadn't found a single sign of their jōnin-sensei. It did not help, of course, that they were running in circles, meeting an increasingly moody Fū every few minutes. And still they hadn't broken the intricate genjutsu that had been cast on them the moment they had entered this training ground.

Sure, he and Chōmei could've solved this little problem with relative ease, but they agreed that this would defeat the purpose of this test. This was a test for their jinchūriki, not them. Although Chōmei was eager as usual to help the stubborn girl out, Kurama had pointed out the fact that neither she nor Naruto could be protected from everything. And that attempting to keep them safe would only keep them weak.

' _We need to weed out this naivety. But it seems we've got our work cut out for us.'_

Kurama sighed, using minute amounts of chakra to keep himself firmly stuck on his clueless jinchūriki, and continued pondering why that blond man would assign such a sensei to his son.

* * *

"And why should I listen to someone who hates my gut?!"

Pinching the bridge of her nose, Tenten groaned in annoyance. The plan had been so simple. Knock Naruto hard enough for him to stop his wild chase, drag him off to where she had seen a familiar hint of mint-green hair, and get the two of them to help her figuring out the situation.

"Like some spoiled little idiot needs to know," Fū snapped back, her aggression only increased by the fact that she was pushed in the defense- she had been the one to attack him, after all.

"Could you two…" Tenten tried to get between the quarrelling jinchūriki.

"Yeah, little miss high-and-mighty just comes in and judges me with all her wisdom."

"…listen to me…"

"As if _you_ could understand _me_ ," Fū growled.

"…for a moment," Tenten felt like an idiot, trying to get the attention of these two. "Okay, that's _it_."

Not hearing her final warning, Naruto just shouted back at Fū, though he stopped the moment he felt something dark and sinister behind him.

"Could you please listen for a moment?" Tenten asked with a sickeningly sweet tone of voice. It was a tone that carried the promise of an extremely painful death if her words would be ignored.

' _Damn… Kaa-chan and Yūgao-neechan taught her too well,_ ' Naruto felt the cold sweat on his forehead, and wiped it away. "S-sure I can listen, Nee-chan."

"And you?" the brunette turned to the taken-aback Fū. A silent nod was all she got as an answer from the baffled jinchūriki. "Good," Tenten huffed. "Here's the deal: we're a team. I know neither of you are happy 'bout it, and I must admit that I have no clue why you have such a problem with him, Fū. Sure, he's a hyperactive idiot whose rashness often creates more problems than any sane person bothers to count, but that doesn't seem to be your reason to dislike him so much."

Fū huffed, and began to open her mouth.

"No," Tenten put up her hand. "Right now I'm not going to sort out whatever went wrong between the two of you. At this moment, I can't give a damn about any of it. We are a team, like it or not, so the two of you will have to start to cooperate. At least have the dignity to stay professional."

"Fine."

"But Nee-chan-"

"Stop whining," Tenten glared at her adopted brother. "You are as much a cause for this mess as she is. Perhaps even more, because you ignored her from the moment Iruka-sensei told us to go to this training ground. So shut up, or I'll tell Kaa-chan."

Naruto grumbled something Tenten could not comprehend.

"What did you say?" Tenten asked, even more menacingly than before.

"Whatever you wish, Onee-sama," Naruto grumbled slightly louder, receiving the blunt end of a kunai to his forehead for his insolence.

"Now, what do we know about our situation?" Tenten ignored her brother, who carefully touched the lump on his head- softly whining while he did it.

"Either this training ground is maze-like, or we are under a genjutsu," Fū scowled. "I checked for a genjutsu, but I can't break out of it."

"Same here," Tenten nodded, having tried (and failed) to break the illusion she knew was cast on her. "But didn't you ask Chōmei to help?"

"Apparently they decided not to interfere while we are being tested," Fū sighed, though she refused to admit how helpless she felt without Chōmei's aid.

"Yep," Kurama opened one eye, showing that he wasn't sleeping atop Naruto's head as he had been pretending. "Our interference would destroy the purpose of this little test. That said: you should probably start using your heads instead of running around like a bunch of clueless meatbags."

"We're supposed to find whoever will be our teacher, right?" Naruto said defensively. "How can we find him without looking around?"

"That is why I told you to use your head, moron," Kurama lashed out with one of his tiny claws. They might be tiny, but just as sharp as his 'real' claws. Now Naruto's bruised forehead also sported scratches, much to the boy's displeasure.

"Without Chōmei or Kurama to help us out, what skill do we have to locate our sensei?" Tenten decided to get back to the point.

" _How about starting with breaking the genjutsu I've put you in?"_ a new paper fell down with a mocking proposal. The smiley-face drawn at the bottom only added insult to injury.

"Tsk, as if we didn't try breaking it already," Naruto grunted, after Tenten had read the note aloud. "Whatever this illusion is, it's a jutsu way beyond our level."

"We were ordered to do it, so we have to," Fū looked at her fellow jinchūriki with badly hidden contempt. If her years in Takigakure had taught her one thing, it would be to never question the orders given by your superior. Not out loud, at least. The consequences of subordination, whether proven or suspected, were grave. ' _Of course, this spoiled idiot doesn't have to worry about such things, not when his dad covers his back.'_

"And I suppose you know how to do it?" Naruto bit back.

"Stop it," Tenten growled. "Kurama, this might be a test for us, but this level of genjutsu is simply unfair. How about a fat juicy steak?"

"Bribery? How unbecoming," Kurama smirked.

"Two steaks."

"Five."

"Three, and that's final," Tenten huffed.

"Tsk, fine, fine," the tiny fox muttered. "Get closer. That means you too, Minty," he looked at a hesitant Fū. "This only works if you're in direct contact with my foolish jinchūriki."

"If I have to."

Naruto grumbled something at the girl's answer, though it seemed to do little but amuse the fox on top of his head. "Jealousy really is an ugly emotion," Kurama chuckled. "Though, you might consider being more careful… jealous people are often easily misled."

"I'm not jealous," Naruto misunderstood, thinking that the fox was talking to him. "Just… let's get this over with."

* * *

' _I suppose this would count as cheating. Good thing shinobi have no such concept,'_ a certain man thought as he looked down at the struggle of his three prospective students. ' _Well, prospective… my clan would kill me if I'd refuse this chance. It's not every day that you get the Hokage's children assigned to you. Not to mention Taki's jinchūriki.'_

Now that he thought about it, he wondered why that green-haired girl was here. Jinchūriki were an important part of a village's 'arsenal', so why would Takigakure agree to Fū leaving the confines of her village?

' _Then again, there are those rumors regarding some strange water,'_ he scratched his chin. ' _If those rumors were to be true, it might explain why they'd agree to 'borrowing' us a bijuu that has a long history of ruining its jinchūriki.'_

With no notable mastery in the art of fūinjutsu, a smaller village would probably see the Nanabi as a hazard rather than a 'useful weapon'. The possession of alternative means to protect their village would explain their willingness to cooperate in whatever bargain was made. Because, to him it was obvious that Fū was not here without Takigakure somehow profiting from her situation.

No, the look in the girl's eyes told him that her life had not been an easy one. ' _Still, to see her harbor such resentment towards our jinchūriki is unexpected, to say the least. Yondaime-sama did say something about some sort of conflict between the two, but this…'_

The boy was notoriously stubborn, except when his mother came into the picture, but was generally a cheerful, though loud, child. He did get his share of distrust and dislike from the villagers, though, mostly caused by his burden, but his pranks definitely built him a reputation as well. The first reason was ruled out in this case, considering how the girl carried a similar burden. It would make no sense to him if the girl would hate a jinchūriki for being a jinchūriki, while _being_ a jinchūriki herself.

' _That brings us to option two. He probably pranked her in some way. If I am correct, and the girl is as stunted in normal social interaction as I fear she is, she would not be able to cope with his exuberant behavior.'_

The appeal of having to teach this trio of genin suddenly diminished quite a bit.

' _I'm not cut out for this psychological stuff. At all. Then again, Yondaime-sama_ did _say that it was a test for me…'_

* * *

The moment the genin trio felt the multi-layered genjutsu break, they realized how close the cheeky jōnin was. Not wasting a second, Naruto formed a bone longsword and leapt into the tree line. Before he could even blink, though, the jōnin had vanished in the thin air.

"Over there," Tenten pointed at a tree.

"There," Fū nodded after a second, as the jōnin had relocated the moment Tenten had pointed out his new location. "And he's incredibly fast."

"Damn this," Naruto scowled. "This isn't even funny!"

"I beg to disagree," Kurama snickered. "This is going to be hilarious."

"Well, it makes sense that there's quite a gap between a seasoned jōnin and a trio of genin who just left the academy, but still," Tenten's shoulders slumped. "I had not expected the difference to be this huge."

"It would've been different if Chōmei and Kurama had been willing to back us up," Fū agreed with Tenten. Though she knew that while they were capable of moving faster when channeling their bijū's chakra, the boost would not be enough. She did not delude herself into thinking that she could keep up with a jōnin even if Chōmei aided her. Not in terms of speed, at least.

The sword morphed, lengthened, and eventually Naruto held something that resembled a scythe. The bone weapon was as sharp as Naruto could make it without sacrificing too much of its durability. "Good enough," Naruto mumbled. "Now let's remove the places where that teme can hide himself."

Before either Tenten or Fū could question what he wanted to do, Naruto lashed out with his scythe. They heard the surprised yelp of the jōnin (who they had still not seen) shortly before the first tree fell, and then the young jinchūriki took out all of his frustration on the poor training ground.

"Find him, and keep him from escaping," Tenten muttered. "This way we've at least removed many hiding spots for him, but that doesn't mean his advantage in speed is dealt with…"

"He's a jōnin," Fū said with a deadpan. "One idiot isn't going to trouble that guy, so we'd better flank him."

"Deal."

The dark-haired man had a scarf wrapped around his face, leaving only his crimson eyes open. He laughed when the three genin surrounded him- or at least, they attempted to do so. He just blurred away in a dazzling display of Shunshin no Jutsu. To Naruto and Tenten it was not _that_ much of a shock, being somewhat used to facing an opponent with ridiculous speed, as Minato took some time every now and then to spar with the kids. To Fū, on the other hand, it was more difficult to adapt.

Or, to be more specific, it was more frustrating to the young jinchūriki.

* * *

' _Well now, I knew he said the girl had an incredibly good aim, but this is almost ridiculous,'_ the jōnin thought to himself. ' _Seriously, I think I could count the shinobi from my clan that have such a precise aim with the fingers of one hand. And that's including their sharingan.'_

Of course, there was a wide variety of throwing techniques that the Uchiha kept to themselves, jutsu which would give kids of his clan an advantage even over someone as gifted as this girl. It almost made him wonder how she'd fare in close combat. Would her mastery of kunai and blades be as good as her ranged skill?

' _If not for the other two, I might even be tempted to try.'_

Jōnin or not, the two jinchūriki were nothing to joke about. The raw power, even if it was rather unpolished, was enough to hurt even those ranked far higher than these kids.

' _Especially when considering how the Namikaze boy can use his clandestine kekkei genkai to augment his close-combat skills even more. It would be safe to assume that his defenses are near-impenetrable, if Gai-san is allowed to spar with him. By contrast, the girl seems to be at a disadvantage. She's more nimble, but that matters little against me. Compared to the two of them, I'm too fast for that to make any difference.'_

Of course, the boy's skills were a popular rumor. The expectations for the only 'true' offspring of their strongest shinobi were quite high- unreasonably high, even. Yet, where his father possessed an ungodly speed, this boy was said to be more of a juggernaut. An unstoppable force, on one end, yet dangerously cumbersome, on the other.

' _Still, it's clear as day that a taijutsu match with that kid won't be funny. Perhaps madmen like Gai would think of him becoming a great challenge, but to sane people… once his speed improves he'll become something that will surprise the people who now look down upon him, for not being a carbon copy of his father,'_ he chuckled, evading strike after strike while barely even trying. Sure, in terms of brute strength, both physically and in terms of chakra reserves, the two jinchūriki were a threat to nearly any shinobi. But in speed…

' _As long as they're this slow, I can take them both down with ease,_ ' he grinned. ' _Okidoki, I guess it's time to quite playing around, and test their skills a properly.'_

Evidently, the jōnin had decided to launch the counterattack.

One of the 'clues' revealing this change of tactics was that he, rather than dodging, now chose to throw kunai and senbon. The speed and accuracy of his weapons made it hard for the genin to keep pressuring the man. Even Fū, whose skin was hardened by chakra, had to take a step back after she gained a few senbon in the back of her knees. Tenten, especially, felt vulnerable. This forced Naruto to switch to defense, blocking the majority of the weapons which were aimed for Tenten, and even a fair number of those which had been intended for Fū.

The jōnin saw, through his sharingan, that the metal weapons did little but cutting up the layer of skin that hid the bone armor that protected him from any serious harm. Undoubtedly due to the Kyūbi's influence the superficial wounds he did get healed up in a matter of seconds.

Anyone could realize that this would be extremely useful against any sort of blunt force, or even weapons that lacked the sharpness to pierce the thin layer of bone. Yet, how would it fare against elemental ninjutsu?

Kurama frowned when he saw the Uchiha jōnin use a relatively low-level raiton jutsu, one that wasn't very strong but it did cover a wide enough area to affect all three of the genin. Such was the danger of standing too close to each other while facing a superior opponent.

' _I suppose it would be cheating if I helped the kid recover from that,'_ the fox smirked. Being both outside Naruto, in his tiny clone form, and within the seal, Kurama had complete oversight as well as the ability to aid the boy.

* * *

"Move, he's approaching for another round," Naruto urged his two teammates. He still felt like his hair stood even wilder than it usually did, as the static electricity still coursed through his body, but unlike Tenten and Fū he had been able to shrug it off fairly easily. He hadn't even noticed the minute change in the flow of chakra Kurama gave him.

As she had been standing behind the two jinchūriki, Tenten was suffering less than Fū, and scrambled to her feet. But Fū … Naruto saw how the black-clad Uchiha, whose sharingan was glowing, flashed through another set of hand seals, and peeked behind him: Fū was still struggling to get up, her legs refusing to listen to her commands.

"Damn," he grunted. "This is gonna hurt."

Whether or not he liked her was irrelevant to him now, he knew Tenten was right when she said that Fū was his teammate. And amongst the many virtues his parents had ingrained in him, having your teammates' backs was one of the more important among them. The sad story of his students was something Minato had once told Naruto, as a warning for the dangers out there, but also as a lesson… Hatake Kakashi was now one of Konoha's strongest shinobi, but back when he was a kid he had not known the importance of teamwork. His Uchiha teammate, his friend as Kakashi described him to Naruto at a later occasion, had sacrificed himself and was the sole reason why he and his other teammate had survived a particularly bad situation. That, as both Minato and Kakashi had explained, was true heroism. True strength showed when people fought for someone else, and not just for themselves.

Almost as if watching the whole thing in slow-motion, Naruto saw Fū's orange eyes grow wide, saw their jōnin-sensei finish his hand seals, and then braced himself when the arc of lightning shot forward. He could have dodged, at the expense of Fū, but refused to do so.

' _I'd rather be chewed out for failing this idiotic test and ending up in the hospital, than becoming the very thing Kakashi and Tou-san told me never to become,'_ Naruto clenched his fists and increased the density of his bone armor as much as he could in the short amount of time he was given.

Turned out, bone did quite little to block out lightning, so the whole thing hurt like as much as Naruto expected it to.

With spasms he fell down, his mouth feeling dry, and smoke came from his ears. "Shit," he gasped, releasing a comical little cloud of smoke when he opened his mouth.

"You seem disappointed," the jōnin chuckled, standing over the downed Namikaze boy. "Did you expect anything less, after being hit by that jutsu?"

"Screw you," Naruto tried to get up, but ended up falling back when the jōnin poked him to his forehead.

"Why didn't you dodge it?"

"…those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash," Naruto muttered eventually, recollecting Kakashi's words. While he didn't see the peculiar man very often, his views on teamwork had made some impact on the boy, knowing the man's history.

"Hm," the jōnin nodded. "And you two?" he looked at Tenten, who helped Fū getting back on her feet. Fū just huffed, but Tenten at least had the decency to answer.

"We failed the test, so no."

"You only failed partly," the jōnin admitted, "but I'm letting you three pass nonetheless. Hopefully your teamwork will improve. While you and Naruto seem to know the basics of teamwork, you should have included Fū from the start, no matter how much Fū opposed this."

"But…"

"Did you honestly think that I expected you three to catch a jōnin?" he laughed. "No, that would've been unfair. I was already aware of your individual skill, so all I wanted to see from you three was the potential to become a great team."

"And?" Fū was being her talkative self.

"I said I let you pass, didn't I?" the Uchiha chuckled. "Report to this training ground tomorrow at eight a.m., 'kay?"

"Who are you, Uchiha?" Kurama demanded after hopping down from Naruto's head. The test apparently being over, the bijuu knew he could heal Naruto without interfering in anything. Fū's condition had visibly improved this last minute as well, showcasing the mental link between the bijuu. Chōmei wasn't paying attention, goofing around inside Fū's mindscape, so Kurama had to point it out to him that the test had ended.

"People call me Shunshin no Shisui," the Uchiha smirked, his red eyes staring indifferently into Kurama's glare. "And I am _really_ glad to call myself the sensei of team seven."

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

* * *

I have to credit **HjLostDreams** for reminding me of the orphans. I had a vacant spot and thought about who to add. Putting 'Jun', an OC, in Team nine made most sense to me. And how do you like Shisui being Naruto's sensei? Perhaps I was a bit devious by putting the part with Itachi first, which almost seemed to hint that he'd be their sensei. Of course, there seem as many of you who are suspicious of Itachi as there are those who are suspicious of Shisui. But which of the two is the good guy?

Some unfortunate news: the pressures of real life have forced Illuminated to the point where he had to cease his activities as a beta reader slash editor. While I was lucky enough to find another person- he prefers to stay anonymous- to check my new chapters for typos, this can mean some differences in how things are worded. For instance the debate around the ū thingy. Anyway, if you ever see any mistakes, or have any sort of constructive criticism, please leave a **review**.

* * *

-Z-


	16. D-rank hell

_Yep, it's been a long time since I updated this story. But Apophenia isn't dead (yet)._

* * *

 **Apophenia**

 **D-rank hell**

* * *

A slow hike through the peaceful village seemed like a good idea to calm his mind. He already had a lot on his mind, and his father had just added another mess to the pile. Did they seriously expect a kid to shoulder all these responsibilities?

' _I didn't expect them to be this serious when they said I'd be an adult the moment I became a genin,'_ he frowned, idly kicking away a pebble on the road. With flawless aim, the tiny stone hit the lantern post, resulting in the satisfying clang of stone hitting metal. ' _Damn, I almost wished we didn't pass that annoying test. Life was simpler when I was just a student.'_

Initially he had been somewhat content with the team he ended up in. It could have been better, considering how his friends had not been in his team, though it certainly could have been a lot worse as well. But now… now he was second-guessing that opinion.

The clanless orphan Jun was not his problem. While he, true to his name, was quite obedient during the test, once they had figured out its meaning, he was nothing special. He had long been the dead last of class, and not without reason. The boy had just barely passed all the tests which the academy gave, so it wasn't like he was as helpless as a random civilian, but the difference between Jun and the children raised within clans was rather big. Still, Sasuke had to acknowledge the drive which the boy had. The way Jun was sulking confused him, though.

' _It seems he really wanted to be on Naruto's team. Why?'_ Sasuke pondered. ' _Is it possible he has a crush on Tenten? He didn't really seem to act that way. Then again, I never really paid him much attention…'_

Sasuke dropped the train of thought. It was irrelevant at the moment. No, his real issues lay with the third member of his team. Not his sensei, a highly peculiar kunoichi named Mitarashi Anko, even if she had once been the student of the traitor Orochimaru- and according to his father still had strange theories about Orochimaru's death. No, the shy and painfully unnoticeable Hyūga Hinata, she had suddenly become the core of his problems.

Well, not her, by definition. Hinata herself wasn't the problem. It was the position she held within that clan of hers, which made her a problem to Sasuke. Or better said: a problem to Uchiha Fugaku. Who, in turn, made it Sasuke's problem.

' _Nice going, Tou-san,'_ Sasuke scowled at a passing civilian- one who saw his clan symbol and reacted with a scoff. The man, at Sasuke's scowl, quickly moved out of Sasuke's way. Once the man was gone, Sasuke sighed. ' _I guess that's an explanation in and of itself.'_

Sasuke was proud of his heritage, took pride in his Uchiha blood, and longed for the day when he would awake his clan's dōjutsu. The fact that he still not had his sharingan was already a point which gave him quite some pressure, especially because Itachi had his sharingan years earlier. But Sasuke had made it: he had become a genin without his clan's greatest asset. Not that his father complimented him for this. No… Fugaku only mention Itachi being promoted to chūnin at age ten, before he had continued about Sasuke's duty to the clan. And this was exactly where Hinata became a problem.

' _Hn, at least it's not an arranged marriage or anything,'_ Sasuke shuddered. He did not want to think about such things just yet. Not to mention that an Uchiha/Hyūga affair would likely be cause a civil war…

No, the reason why Hinata being in team seven was problematic for Sasuke was complicated enough without any romantic issues dragging things down even further.

"You look quite happy," Itachi's voice startled Sasuke to the point where he tripped and nearly fell face-first to the ground. Itachi had quick reflexes, thankfully.

"Nii-san," Sasuke sighed. "Please don't do that."

"What?"

" _That_."

"So, what's got you on edge like this?"

"You spoke with Kaa-san, didn't you?"

"I might have," Itachi admitted offhandedly. While he and Fugaku weren't exactly seeing eye-to-eye, Mikoto kept a more neutral role. Even if Itachi moved out, she still spoke with him on a daily basis- provided that Itachi wasn't on a mission.

"Then you already know."

"True, but talking about it can be relieving, Sasuke."

"Whatever," Sasuke sighed tiredly. "Tou-san explained the deal he made with Hokage-sama, what put me in a team with the heiress of the Hyūga clan. Tou-san aims to improve the ties between our two clans."

"Oh, I didn't know you liked that girl _that_ way, Sasuke."

"I don't," Sasuke scowled, not very amused by Itachi's joke. "As the heiress Hinata will take an important position in her clan and if she has a positive image of the Uchiha clan, Tou-san hopes that the silent animosity between our clan can be put to a stop. Or at the very least lessen. Basically, Tou-san shoved the fate of our clan on me, as he believes that we will face more and more discrimination."

"The Hyuga clan is, aside from its wealth, obviously one of the most important players in the political game field," Itachi agreed. "If such an influential clan would look favorable at the Uchiha…"

"I know, I know," Sasuke sighed. "But the problem is that the Hyūga are probably not happy with the team their heiress was assigned to. Hinata is probably instructed to report my every mistake, probably even try to pry for information through me."

"Yes, you are caught in the crossfire now, little brother," Itachi ruffled through Sasuke's black hair. "And here I thought you really wanted to become a genin."

"I didn't expect something like this."

"Hm, I know what you mean," the elder brother nodded calmly. "I bet you'd rather have had that pink haired one in your team. You know, the one you called an annoying fangirl, yet secretly found rather-"

"Nii-san!"

"What?" Itachi said with fake-innocence.

"Shut up," Sasuke grumbled, though he wasn't able to hide a faint blush from his elder brother. "And why are you so happy?"

"Oh, I got a mission," Itachi smirked. "A great but unexpected honor- one that puts me in a team with a Hyūga as well, now that I think about it."

"What kind of mission?"

"Promise to keep it a secret?"

"I promise."

"Sarutobi Asuma was recalled from his duty as a member of the Shugonin Jūnishi (Twelve Guardian Ninja), the ones who guard the Daimyo," Itachi's smirk grew wider. "He is going to train one of the new genin teams, and I… Hokage-sama asked me to replace Sarutobi-san. So I'm going to be in a team with Hyūga Hizashi, and several other important people."

"…wow," Sasuke said, blinking in surprise. "I bet Tou-san is pleased."

"Perhaps, but I doubt it would solve our problems- as you probably hoped it would. My promotion might be a good development for the Uchiha clan, as it opens up many possible ways our clan can create formal and informal ties with the royal court. But at the same time, it would do little to solve the difference in opinion Tou-san and I have," Itachi shrugged.

"Why?" Sasuke asked dejectedly. "You're the heir to our clan, soon our strongest member; why can't you and Tou-san stop arguing? Why does he think that you and Shisui-san aren't loyal to our clan?"

"Why? Because I embraced a power he rejected…"

* * *

While Sasuke was processing his changing situation, another trio of genin was slowly limping back from the training grounds. Theirs was the last team to finish the test the sensei had given. And luckily, they had not failed.

"Why couldn't I get in a team with Sasuke-kun," Sakura grumbled.

"Kurenai-sensei took an interest in your potential for genjutsu. Why? Because your chakra control is among the best of our year," Shino explained in his typically stoic Aburame way. "I would presume that your smaller-than-average chakra reserves only add to your chakra control, since the smaller a person's reserves, the better their control usually is."

"Thank you for the lecture," Inuzuka Kiba replied irritably. "Just what we needed after hours of playing hide-and-seek with a freaking jōnin."

"I had assumed that someone with your intellectual abilities would have appreciated the information," Shino replied pointedly, pushing up his dark sunglasses.

"Why you…"

"Behave yourself," Sakura glared at the Inuzuka. "Stupid genjutsu talent taking away my big chance to be in a team with Sasuke-kun," she mumbled darkly to herself. "If only Sasuke-kun's sensei had appreciated the same thing."

The two bewildered males decided to keep some distance from the irate pinkette. Shino even decided to keep the conclusion he had reached from Sakura. He was convinced that it was no coincidence that neither Naruto nor Sasuke had been teamed up with any of their fangirls. Why? Because such things would only pose a distraction, and the girls in question would probably pay more attention to looking good in front of their respective crushes than properly perform their tasks as kunoichi.

But that was something Haruno Sakura would probably not appreciate to hear, so Shino kept him mouth shut. Why? Because he did not fancy having a large lump on the back of his head, like the act-first-think-later Inuzuka already had.

A talent for genjutsu was highly likely, but Shino was more intrigued by Sakura's fluctuating talent for taijutsu. The lithe girl surely packed a punch. Why? Because…

* * *

"Okay, introductions!"

"…why?" Fū stared blankly at the cheerful Uchiha.

"It's tradition."

" _Konoha_ tradition."

"Yes," Shisui nodded. "And you're part of a _Konoha_ team now."

"But I am Takigakure property," the green-haired girl said with badly hidden bitterness.

"She's our team's little ray of sunshine, sensei," Naruto rolled his eyes. "Though, I'm inclined to agree. Why introductions when we already know each other?"

"It's tradition."

"I think you've broken him," Naruto glanced at Fū. "He's already repeating himself."

"In my time, students still respected their teachers."

"Hm, as much as I hate to say it, I must agree with you," Fū sighed. "He's definitely broken."

"Hey!"

"Ignore them, Shisui-sensei," Tenten slapped her adoptive brother on the side of his head. Not on top of his head, because the tiny clone of Kurama was sitting there. Said clone was keeping a close eye on the Uchiha.

"I'll try," Shisui sighed. He was glad he had these kids assigned to him. He saw it as a positive change from working with seasoned jōnin or chūnin, which he was doing these past few years. These little innocent kids… ' _Scratch that. They're not exactly innocent little babies. Fū has seen too much. Tenten is too mature for her age. And Naruto hides it well, but he's not as stupid as he acts. They've still got a lot to learn, though.'_ He shook his head, as if he wanted to clear out the thoughts buzzing through his head. He needed to play his part, and couldn't let himself be distracted. "Let's start with names, likes, dislikes, goals, dreams of the future, and such."

"My name is Tenten," Tenten started, after Shisui pointed at her. "I like my family. I dislike people judging me because I'm a girl, an orphan, or because I don't have any fancy bloodlines. My goals… I guess my goal simply is to prove myself as a kunoichi, to show the village that I'm worth my spot in the Namikaze family."

"Nee-chan…"

"I know you, Kaa-san, and Tou-san don't care about such things, but I know I have to prove myself to everyone else," Tenten shrugged. "I guess what I really dislike is just the stupid shallow prejudice of people. And I want to prove them all wrong."

"My name is Namikaze Naruto," Naruto continued after Shisui pointed at him. "I guess I dislike prejudice just as much as Nee-chan does. As for my likes… my family, which includes Tenten-neechan," he gave her a look as if he dared her to tell him otherwise, "Yūgao-neechan, Baa-chan, Gama-jisan, Sarutobi-jiisan, ramen, the color orange, and even Kurama- when he's not being grumpy-"

"Sycophant."

"-and resorting to impossibly difficult words. As for my goals," Naruto frowned. "I want to find a way to make Kaa-chan better again, and I want to become an even more awesome Hokage than Tou-san is. Oh, and I want to eat ramen."

"Ramen?" Shisui raised one eyebrow. "Eating ramen is not much of a goal, compared to something as big as 'becoming Hokage'."

"Don't diss the ramen," Naruto glared at his sensei. "It's the food of the gods."

"Ignore him when he's raving about ramen, Shisui-sensei," Tenten slapped her adoptive brother on the side of his head. Again.

"Right," Shisui smiled faintly. "And you, Kurama-san?"

"My name is none of your business. My likes are few. My dislikes are many," Kurama said darkly. "As for my goal, I could say that it would be the prevention of ever allowing a person such as Uchiha Madara rise again."

"That's… specific," Shisui chose this word to describe the not-so-veiled threat against his entire clan. ' _But considering its history, it is not so odd that the Kyūbi thinks this way. The Nanabi might not hold a similar distaste against my clan, but I'm sure it won't be that much more positive about me. Oh well, it is irrelevant at this point.'_

"I'm Fū," the green-haired girl scowled when her sensei pointed at her lastly. Though Shisui merely worked clockwise, Fū saw it as 'being picked last', what she interpreted as another act of discrimination. And considering she saw her being put in this team, with the use of a technicality that labeled her as the 'dead last', as discrimination as well- completely unaware that Minato arranged it with her wellbeing in mind. Sadly, Fū was not even remotely as cheerful as Chōmei wished her to be. The carefree creature hated how leery his jinchūriki was of the world around her.

"…and?" Shisui gave her a verbal nudge.

"I like Chōmei, beetles, and sweet stuff like candy. I dislike humans. My goals are none of your business," Fū huffed. Shisui could see that she wasn't completely telling the truth, and ironically it was Kurama who thought her aversion of humankind was unhealthy.

Because, what she wanted, _really_ wanted, was a friend. And not just any friend; she wanted someone who'd be able to understand her, who would understand the position she was put in, who would understand the way she was treated. She didn't care for empty words or hollow gestures; she had been betrayed too many times in her life to appreciate those. No, normal people wouldn't know what it was to be like her, to be a jinchūriki; to be less than a human and more than a demon. Regular people wouldn't even begin to understand such a life. And this is why she felt she was alone in the world, causing her to have a strong desire for kinship. To not be so horribly lonely.

This was exactly why she felt such animosity against Naruto; for he, who was so similar to her, was acting like a human- was _treated_ like a human being. One could call this jealousy, bitterness, or whatever, but the point remained that she felt alone. And to her it seemed that even Chōmei did not really understand that. Because he, even if she pitied him for how he was treated, still had eight others just like him.

So Fū's dream, the thing she wanted more than anything else, was to have a friend. Fū, however, would rather die than be honest about what she wanted from life. Especially in front of them. Tenten seemed, to her, tolerable, and the jōnin seemed a bit goofy but at least not an outright asshole, but her problem was with Naruto. She had expected him to be like her, to- perhaps- be the friend she wished to have, yet turned out to be a traitor to his kind, to be more _human_ than she could tolerate him to be.

To her, he was a disappointment.

"I bet her dream is to be a star in the stand-up comedy scene," Naruto said dryly. Another thing Fū hated: he mocked her.

"Now, now, let's all stay friendly, shall we?" the Uchiha tried to pacify the situation. He could see Fū's smoldering anger, though the reasons behind that rage eluded him. "I suppose I'm the last one to introduce myself. As you know, my name is Uchiha Shisui. My likes would be my clan and the village, though what I truly treasure is peace itself. My dislikes are needless conflict and hypocrisy. As such, my dream is an impossible one: a world of peace."

"An Uchiha dreaming of peace," Kurama scoffed. "How ironic."

"Not all of us can be defined by the actions of our ancestors," Shisui immediately gained Naruto's approval, and considering how the boy already had a positive opinion on the Uchiha due to Sasuke, Kurama decided not to press the issue any further. Shisui ignored the fox, after a few seconds of silence had passed, and continued. "Now, let's go to the office and get our first official mission!"

"YAY!"

Naïve as usual, Naruto cheered at the idea of going on a mission. Tenten seemed to be eager as well. Even Fū seemed slightly less annoyed. Kurama, on the other hand, knew what was coming. If they would react similar to how Kushina had reacted… he just prepared for the show.

' _I wonder how long they'll think of the whole D-rank thing as entertaining,_ ' Shisui shared the bijū's sentiments.

* * *

Opinions could change quickly. After three weeks, neither Kurama nor Shisui still found the D-ranks entertaining, and were both just as bored as the three genin. The genin- Naruto and Tenten- begged and whined, but still Minato only assigned them to D-ranks. Fū, meanwhile, took the whole thing in stride. If nothing else, she was happy that they spent the mornings on training, and that she did not get mistreated like in Takigakure. Better, even, was that these missions earned her a little bit of income. All of a sudden she owned money, money _she_ earned, rather than some allowance given to her, and it allowed her to buy things that truly belonged to her- a novelty to the girl.

Not that she liked the missions, mind you. Walking a dog, babysitting (did babies just _have_ to puke whenever she held them?), or assisting with a wide variety of other menial chores; it wasn't befitting a shinobi, never mind a jinchūriki, to do these kinds of things.

"What?!"

"Not again…"

She kept her mouth shut, but Fū agreed. After three times, she did not look forward at doing this again.

"Tora escaped this morning," Minato smiled contently, clearly amused by his protesting children. "So I wish you luck. And don't be late; your Kaa-san is making stew today!"

* * *

"I'm warning you now," Kurama hopped on Minato's plate, ignoring the cries of protest coming from Kushina. "Next time we're ordered to chase down that wretched cat it'll die."

"The wife of the Daimyo would be very displeased if you did such a thing," Minato poked the little fox with a finger, which got slapped away immediately.

"That would be your problem, not mine or the brat's."

The peace returned and eventually Kushina started clearing the table. Tenten and Naruto helped with the dishes, while Yūgao excused herself- trying to make it sound like she wasn't meeting with Hayate, but doing it in such an obvious way that _everyone_ knew where she was going.

It left a tired but content Minato alone with the little fox. A fox that wasn't intent on letting the weary man rest.

"What?" Minato grunted, not bothering to hide his exhaustion anymore.

"Why?"

"Why what?" the kage frowned.

"The Uchiha."

"You mean Shisui? He's a skilled jonin, whose loyalty I do not question, so he was the perfect candidate to be the sensei for Naruto and Tenten. I probably don't need to explain that I appointed an Uchiha for reasons."

"The clan's precarious position," Kurama couldn't help but smirk. Inadvertently it had been his actions that further demolished the clan's reputation, and Kurama rather enjoyed that irony. Sure, it was a rogue Uchiha that had used him, the night Naruto was born. And Uchiha Madara had, technically, also betrayed his clan. None of it prevented Kurama from having any sort of restraint in his grudge against the clan.

"Not to mention that, to all the people who doubt your intentions, it is a good thing to have a loyal Uchiha near you- one who could potentially prevent you from turning against Konoha."

"That kid might have the mangekyō, but he's a far cry from Madara. Unless he is hiding some special talent at genjutsu he won't be able to control me if I chose to break free from this seal. And as long as I'm in the brat's seal, I'm practically invulnerable."

"Mmhmm," Minato nodded. "But not many people know that you're helping Naruto. Even fewer know why."

"There are some who are aware that a strange person is occasionally visiting Konoha. Talented sensors might be able to discern his true identity."

"Perhaps, perhaps not," the blond shrugged. "He is quite different from my son."

"…is that guilt you are hiding?" Kurama could sense negative emotions, a fact he had kept hidden- everyone had the right to keep one or two aces up their sleeves. He could sense, however, the spike in Minato's emotions.

"I could barely say it was my fault, yet at the same time… I nearly did it. Again, from his point of view. I thought I had it all figured out, that Naruto would be the best chance Konoha would have on the long run, but I never thought of what could go wrong before he'd have the chance to grow strong."

"Do you know why I do not regret thrashing this village, twelve years ago?"

"Well?"

"Konohagakure no Sato is just like any other hidden village."

A beacon of dark emotions, filled with people who had murdered, pillaged, or even raped. Filled with people who suffered the consequences of such actions. Or… those who wished to still commit such heinous acts. While Kurama could see the reasons behind it, it had still been a sickening experience to sit through all the lectures where Konoha was glorified, while other villages were vilified. Propaganda was a useful weapon, instrumental at keeping an armed force unified and loyal, aimed at a common enemy the shinobi were programmed to despise and hate. The oversimplification of good versus evil, light versus dark, it was crammed into the minds of these innocent and ignorant children from the moment they first walked into the academy- not in an obvious way, but subtly.

Nothing, however, could hide from Kurama's senses. Whether they thought they were doing well or not, when their actions were objectively evil Kurama could sense the intent behind those actions as negative emotions. And considering the nature of the mangekyō sharingan, this was also why he strongly distrusted Uchiha Shisui. While the man could play the part of a supportive and amiable sensei, Kurama could sense the darkness the man hid.

The important question was: how much darkness was hidden?

* * *

"-and then I caught the damn thing in a cage of bone. Shisui-sensei didn't let me kill it before we reached Dad's office, though."

"Not that you stopped Tora when it tried to claw out Fū's eyes, during its attempt to flee from Shijimi-sama," Tenten added to her brother's story. The two of them were aiding Kushina with the dirty dishes, while sharing the story of the fourth successful chase and capture of Tora the demonic cat.

"Poor Fū," Kushina frowned. "Did she get medical attention?"

"The cat his nasty claws, but it can't get through Fū's skin," Naruto shrugged.

"Don't shrug like you don't care," Kushina swatted him with the frying pan she had been holding. "Fū's a good girl."

"Deep down," Naruto rolled his eyes. "Very, verrry deep down."

"What did you do to anger her so much?" Tenten looked at Naruto.

"I wish I knew. Kurama's rather vague about it. Something about jealousy or whatever. Not really a reason to attempt to turn a simple spar into a death match," he sighed. "I even kinda liked her… I mean, I've never been able to engage anyone in taijutsu aside from Tou-san, Jii-san, Kakashi, or Gai-san. And then she just dropped by, not only being a fellow jinchūriki but also having a similar skill at defense."

"And you liked her eyes," Tenten giggled.

"They're orange!" Naruto defended himself. "What's not to like about orange?"

"I think red's better," Kushina smirked.

"Yeah, you're red, Tou-san is yellow, and that makes me orange," Naruto flashed his goofiest grin.

"You seem rather _yellow_ to me, though," Tenten joked.

"Oi! I'm no coward!" Naruto bellowed, splashing his hands in the dishwater so that Tenten got soaked- something which Kushina 'rewarded' with another hit with another pan.

* * *

If there was one thing more annoying than an obnoxious brat, it was two brats- that was the sole thought that currently filled her head. Alone, Namikaze Naruto was already insufferable enough, but with his little minion, the kid literally called the blond 'boss', things spiraled completely out of control. Individually they could drive people mad, but together… Let's just said that there was a good reason why Konohamaru had a tokubetsu jōnin assigned to him, even if it was under the guise of being a tutor.

Vandalizing the Hokage monument was one of their better stunts, she had to admit, but it had made it clear that the village needed protection from these boys.

' _Better a little vandalism than the times when I became their target. Their attempts to 'cheer me up' have been rather horrible,'_ Fū looked down at the training ground with a scowl. ' _Why on earth did they make babysitting the Sandaime's grandson a D-rank mission?'_

"They could've been brothers," a voice ripped her away from her thoughts.

"Perhaps," she partly agreed. When it came to their behavior they were much alike, but in terms of appearance they were quite different.

"Naruto has always had a soft spot for that poor boy," Tenten sighed, sitting down next to her.

"Poor boy?" Fū repeated, not even bothering to keep the sarcasm from her voice.

"People can suffer a wide variety of burdens, Fū," the brunette seemed tired. More so than Fū would have expected from this, thus far, relatively easy day. Sure, Shisui had put them through their usual rigorous morning exercises, and Tenten was the one who didn't have a nigh-endless supply of energy, but she did not usually get this tired.

Unless Tenten was troubled by something different.

"Konohamaru-kun lost his parents before he even really got to know them," Tenten took Fū's silence as a positive thing and had decided to continue the conversation. "As a result, he was raised by his grandfather. His uncle, Asuma-sensei, was away for a long-term mission, so old man Hiruzen had taken charge of Konohamaru."

"So? The brat's not the first to lose his parents. At least he had someone to look after him," Fū couldn't help but remark snidely. She knew that part of her annoyance stemmed from petty jealousy, but refused to admit that even to herself. She refused to accept the fact that she missed her parents, but no matter how hard she wanted to only feel hatred for how they had betrayed her she still felt hurt.

"Sarutobi Hiruzen is also the Sandaime Hokage, Fū," Tenten shook her head. "While Tou-san took over for him, the old man still has his fair share of duties. But what is worse for Konohamaru is that he had to carry the pressure which the expectations that were placed on him, all due to his lineage. _That_ is why Naruto can get along with him so well. And I guess Sasuke is a similar case as well. You know, unlike the two of us, who came from nowhere, they were raised with a constant pressure, they live under the looming shadows of their brothers, fathers, or grandfathers… a shadow that threatens to consume them, as no one really wants to see them for who _they_ are."

"If they can't cope with expectations, they shouldn't become shinobi," Fū huffed.

"What if I told you they do not have a choice in that matter?"

"Huh?"

"Why do you think Konohamaru's parents died?" Tenten asked. "Sarutobi Hiruzen is famous, and as such he is also someone who attracts a lot of enemies. These enemies go after targets near the old man as well, the moment they realize they can't touch him directly. That is why Konohamaru has no choice but to grow strong, or one day he will inevitably meet an assassin sent by someone who sees his bloodline as a potential threat."

"…oh," Fū frowned. She hadn't looked at it that way. Blood, in such a contrast, was quite the burden.

"I dare say that Tou-san made even more enemies than the Sandaime," Tenten added sadly. "People will be coming after Naruto too. And me, I suppose, even if I'm not related to them by blood I'd still make a good hostage."

"That is… annoying."

"Konohamaru and Naruto were raised, from the very start, with such a danger hanging over their heads. Goofing off like this is their way of coping with the stress that it puts on them," Tenten explained. "Naruto once told me that Konohamaru would rather fake a laugh than show a real frown. Personally, I think he wasn't talking about Konohamaru at that moment, but rather about himself."

"…"

"Look, what I'm trying to say is… Naruto's isn't some kind of great scholar or anything, but he's not the idiot he seems to be either. I won't pretend to know why you dislike him, that's your business, but I am inclined to believe that you don't really know him, that's all," Tenten finished, after which she left Fū alone, giving her some space to think about what had been said.

With a concentrated scowl marring his face, Uchiha Shisui looked at his female students, displeased by what he saw. Whether this was due to the lack of unity in his team, and the seeming lack of solution to mend that problem, or due to other reasons… none knew.

Well, _someone_ knew.

* * *

"C-can you repeat that?" he fell back in his chair. "This can't… Shizune-san, she is sober right now, right?"

"Tsk, you're acting like a brat," the older Senju huffed indignantly. "I thought that you, of all people, should have appreciated my knowledge and ability."

"While you are sober, yes, but when there's sake involved- which is most of the times when you're out of the village- I'm inclined to consider such outrageous claims to be the ravings of a drunk," Namikaze Minato said with a perfect deadpan. Shizune's muffled giggles didn't make Tsunade's temper any better.

"I _am_ sober. And I _am_ sure about the possibility I just told you about. It's by far the best lead I had in all the years I've spent researching Kushina's condition. From the fact that she's still alive to the aspect of trying to cure her inability to gather chakra, I've gone through every possible library. Hell, I've even gone through the demented theories crafted by my late teammate," she scowled.

The buxom woman still felt disgusted that Orochimaru had fallen so deeply, without anyone really realizing. Much like Jiraiya, she too blamed herself for not being there for him. Sure, she knew he had always been a creepy person, but since she basically grew up with him, from the moment she became genin, Tsunade (just like Jiraiya) never had much issues with Orochimaru's attitude. He was a genius, and his eccentric behavior just seemed to be part of the deal. Human experimentation, on the other hand…

"Whatever Orochimaru became, he was a genius. And physical modification had been one of his prime research areas," Tsunade sighed. "Yet even in his notes I could barely find anything that would enable me to help Kushina."

"Until now?"

"…it is more due to a random stroke of luck that I found this lead," Tsunade admitted hesitantly.

"We were in a gambling joint where someone talked about a creepy clan," Shizune clarified. "One of the merchants who had dealt with them tried to seduce Tsunade-sama. She was rather drunk, so-"

"Shizune, shut up."

"What?" Shizune asked in faux-innocence. "It's not like you slept with the man."

"Shut. Up."

"Though I _was_ surprised when I found you in bed with the man's wife," Shizune smirked mischievously.

"That's not how I remember it," Tsunade growled. "And let's change subjects now and back to the possibility of a cure."

' _She got drunk to the point where she slept with another woman? How strong must that beverage have been? I should probably not tell this to Jiraiya-sensei, or he'd get a heart attack,'_ Minato felt a drop of sweat running down the back of his head. "Yes, how would it be possible to heal Kushina-chan? You said that it would be impossible to undo the damage done to her chakra pathways without killing her."

"Correct," Tsunade nodded, visibly relieved that Minato had decided to change back to the main subject again. "A jinchūriki, to some extent, fuses with the bijū that is sealed within him or her. In Kushina's case, the sole reason why she even survived the extraction process to begin with was due to her Uzumaki heritage. If not for that, she would have died the moment the Kyūbi broke free. Of course, surviving the extraction doesn't imply that she could have lived- or _should_ have been able to survive- for long. I know that you and Kushina have been very shady about what exactly did happen that night, but I feel compelled to once again ask."

"As I explained years ago, the decay was stopped."

"It isn't just that simple, Minato," Tsunade shook her head. "Someone literally froze her chakra pathway system. It keeps her weak and vulnerable, unable to recover from the damage done, even if it also prevents the decay from continuing."

"Her body was ruined by the extraction, yes, but re-sealing the Kyūbi into her was no option either."

"Of course it wasn't. She was- and still is- so fragile that she would never have survived that process. Still, she essentially cheated death," the Senju urged. "Before I even start thinking about how to change her condition, to improve it without allowing the decay from the extraction to be started again, I need to know how her death was prevented."

"I… I cannot really explain."

"If I change the current equilibrium in her body, the destruction caused by having the Kyūbi ripped out of her would simply continue again, and she'd die. This is why I couldn't do anything about her situation. If I knew what it was that happened to her after the extraction, it might-"

"All I know is how it was explained to us- that the 'warmth' was leaking out of Kushina and that this process was stopped. If it could be reversed it would have been done already, so I think we can assume that he doesn't know either."

"'He'?"

"…" Minato stared at the overly curious Senju, and then to her student. "Shizune, could you please leave my office for a moment?"

"Eh? Oh, as you wish, Hokage-sama," the raven-haired girl bowed respectfully.

"Anbu, leave, and make sure none can get near my office," Minato commanded. Apart from four puffs of smoke, nothing changed. He went through a series of hand seals in a speed that astounded Tsunade, before he looked up at her again. "The office is secure now."

"Is it really this much of a secret?"

"I labeled it as an S-rank secret for several good reasons. In fact, there isn't even a single instance in which the true events of that night have been documented."

"Why?"

"Because someone interfered. Two people, actually. Firstly there was an Uchiha who attacked us, tore the Kyūbi out of Kushina, and then commanded the fox to attack-"

"What?!" Tsunade slammed a fist down into Minato's office. "Only Madara had the power to subjugate the Kyūbi!"

"…he did claim to be Uchiha Madara," Minato shrugged. "Don't panic, he's dead anyway."

"H-how?"

"Because a second person intervened. This person killed Madara- whether it was truly the legendary Madara or not- and then somehow halted the Kyūbi. He was the one to stop me from sacrificing my own life, and the one who prevented Kushina's death."

"Who… who is this person?"

"Names are not important," Minato said evenly. "What matters is that he, acting on pure instinct, managed to stop the decay. As he called it: he stopped the 'warmth' leak from Kushina. He isn't the type to bother with technicalities, so I'm not sure… well, it's safe to say that what he did would never be replicated by others anyway."

"So you do not know."

"No, we do not."

"Is he still around, though?"

"He occasionally visits Konoha, yes," Minato said sheepishly. "Remember the time that Naruto got kidnapped?"

"You're not saying that…"

"It was him," the Hokage nodded with a smile. "Though he did it so that he could form that little clone-like body Kurama now uses. And for this he needed Naruto to tap into the chakra coming from the seal."

"Hence the theatrics. Naruto needed to either be afraid or angry enough to tap into that chakra," Tsunade realized. "And can I assume that he was also the reason why the Kyūbi- Kurama- is cooperative?"

"Yes."

"What he did… the things I could learn from it," Tsunade sighed. "They go far beyond any simple realm of ninjutsu, Minato. I presume I do not have to explain to you how incredible Naruto's true power is, do I?"

"Technically it is Kurama's power," Minato corrected the Senju. "Although Naruto definitely has a role as a catalyst. After all, prior to his current predicament Kurama has never been able to freely create bones like this- he was bound to the design of his own body."

"Yes, but while he cooperates with Naruto… this is exactly the reason why I want to take his team with me."

* * *

Just a little past the walls, in the dark shadows of the nightly forest, a strange creature rose from the ground. Half white, half black, the being mostly resembled a Venus flytrap-like humanoid. The white half seemed rather giddy, while the blacker half remained stoic and patient. Not even a spec of chakra gave away their position, completely hiding themselves within the surrounding nature, and yet they waited for someone to approach them.

He, of course, knew when and where they were supposed to meet, hence not requiring to sense the dual-colored Zetsu.

"You're early."

"You too," The white half said jovially. " **Why did you call for me?** " the blacker half voiced its annoyance. " **It better be worth the risk.** "

"Of course it is," the Uchiha, cloaked to the point where even Zetsu would've had trouble identifying the man had he not call him out earlier. "The Yondaime slipped up."

" **Oh, interesting.** Quite unusual for him. **Yes, and all the more convenient.** "

"While it is too early for us to directly target the boy, you could try to target the ones closest to him. The sister, especially, would make a good hostage."

" **Risky.** Very risky. **Entering the village and snatching her away, right under their noses.** Even we might risk exposure. **Which would be bad.** Very bad."

"There are other ways," the Uchiha chuckled, tossing Zetsu a scroll. "I think that should work. Just delegate it to a couple of clones. I would've done it personally, if I could, but now that I have gotten the assignment I wanted…"

" **You cannot risk blowing your cover either** ," Black Zetsu said pensively. " **Very well, we'll take a look at it.** You really sure that jinchūriki would listen to us if we have his sister?"

"Very sure. Soon, the exams will come. Make sure that the other members are properly prepared by that time," the Uchiha turned and started walking back to the walls. "After all, we don't want to disappoint our clients, do we?"

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

* * *

Couldn't come up with a proper name for this chapter, so I just wrote the first thing that came to mind. Between Tora and Konohama, I thought it was fitting. Not the most original choices, I know. I was lazy, sue me. Then again, these D-ranks were not meant to have the focus of this chapter, so I didn't feel the need to waste too much energy on them anyway.

I rather wanted to shed some more light on Fū, and flesh out the other teams, providing some more perspectives on the current situation. Shino overthinking things. Sasuke worrying about things. Naruto screwing up things. Fū being pissed off about things. Zetsu scheming things. And an Uchiha betraying things… but who's the big baddy of this story?

Read and review please! I hope you've enjoyed the chapter.

* * *

-Z-


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